Holiday From Hell
by Loopstagirl
Summary: It was supposed to be the break they all needed to put the last year behind them and take a step forward. But things never do work out that easily for the Tracys.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, all rights belong to their respective owners.**

**Back with another story for you! Young one this time! As normal, the world's biggest thank you to Bee for being an awesome beta, thank you so much!**

**Hope that you like it!**

Virgil stared at his father for a long moment, ignoring the burning sensation in his eyes as he fought back tears. Crying was for babies, like his two younger brothers. Not for ten year olds! But the reprimand still rang loudly in his ears, and before he knew what he was doing, the middle Tracy brother had turned and run.

His oldest brother watched him go with a sigh. He glanced out of the corner of his eye at his father, watching the man's expression flick through various emotions as he once again struggled to find the best way to address his sons. That was what happened when he withdrew when they needed him. Scott knew that it was affecting John and Virgil the most. The other two were too young; give them something to occupy them and they didn't notice their father's absence. Well, Scott knew that wasn't quite true, but it kept smiles on their faces for a few hours longer before the whining started, and that was all he could ask for. He was too busy keeping the others distracted to properly notice. He wasn't sure if the others saw the haunted look in his father's eye, but now he was fifteen, he was seeing things differently. He had been given no choice but to see things differently.

"I'll get him," he volunteered quietly. It wasn't so much that he wanted to go, but more because he knew that if it was anyone else, they would never be able to get away.

"I want to leave in ten minutes."

"Yes, sir." Scott shot Gordon a warning look just to make sure the child didn't try anything then moved off around the back of the old farmhouse. It was not going to take him ten minutes to find Virgil. But coaxing him out of hiding was going to be a different matter entirely. Reaching an old oak, he silently made his way around to the far side and swung himself into the branches. Sure enough, there, with his knees curled up to his chest, balancing precariously on a thicker branch, was Virgil.

"What was that?" Scott asked gently, making sure that he kept the accusations out of his voice. The last thing he needed was for his brother to be annoyed with him as well; that would not get them anywhere. "You know he wants to go."

"Course he does, it's a business trip."

"No, it's a holiday for us as a family."

"That just happens to work around a business meeting he has whilst we are there? I'm not a kid, Scott; I know why we are going to that place and why we are going right now."

Scott sighed, looking at the way Virgil's eyes had filled with tears again; although it was apparent the ten-year-old was about to vehemently deny their existence.

"And don't look at me like that. I'm not crying!"

Inwardly, Scott smirked. He knew Virgil too well. Unfortunately, it meant he knew precisely why the younger boy had caused the whole fuss to start with. He just wanted his little brother to admit it out loud so he would hopefully realise it had been the wrong thing to do.

"Why did you do it, Virg?"

"Alan's allowed to take his toys; Gordon's allowed to go swimming." Virgil shrugged in a non-committal manner, making sure his head was turned away from his big brother. It had been worth it. He didn't see why he should make it easy for his father. There was once a time where Virgil would have done anything Jeff asked almost before his father had opened his mouth. But the man had given up that right when he put his work first, and now Virgil had made it his mission to be as stubborn as possible. Sometimes he even managed to drag his two younger brothers along with him, and once even John. But the blond had admitted to having a bad day that day and had never done it again. Scott was just impossible; Virgil couldn't help but think, always sticking up for their father whilst being the one that felt his absence more than anyone.

"They are younger than you."

"John's taking his books."

"John won't do anything else, you know that." There was that note of patience in Scott's voice again that always got to Virgil. Why did his brother just never lash out? Even John was known to yell when he got interrupted with something. Virgil was sure that Scott used to be as bad - worse even.

"Well, neither will I!"

"Virgil, you can't take your entire art set with you! They've got stuff there, I told you that. It will take up too much space, you know how big your box is. You just can't take it." Scott tried reasoning with his brother, even though all he really wanted to do was jump out of the tree and storm off himself. But he knew that if this holiday was going to go even slightly according to plan, they had to at least get there without wanting to kill each other.

"Why not?"

"Because... because I said so!"

"Don't sound like Dad!"

"At least one of us does..." Scott muttered quietly, then instantly regretted it. He had sworn that he would keep his feelings about his father to himself. Virgil twisted around the tree and looked at him quizzically.

"You okay?" he asked gently, the stubbornness all but melting away as he watched his big brother. Scott decided to go for his normal tactic when matters came back to how he was feeling. It always worked with his father, even teachers. Definitely with his brothers, although his grandmother was a harder one to throw off. But this time, he knew it would work, so he changed the subject.

"I thought we had plans, Virg. You were going to come to the beach with me, remember? And I was going to go to that... whatever it was... with you?"

"You obviously don't want to if you can't remember what it is called."

Scott's temper snapped. They were only on the first day of their summer break, and already he longed for the distraction of school.

"Fine. Stay up the tree and sulk all summer if you are going to be like that." Dropping to the ground, Scott had taken only a few steps towards where the rest of the family would no doubt be waiting when a somewhat strangled cry called him back.

"No! Don't lea- ...don't leave me!"

Scott was back at the tree in seconds, rubbing his brother's back soothingly and helping Virgil to his feet where he had dropped out of the tree. He should have known. It had only been a year since the accident. Only a few months in reality since Virgil had stopped having nightmares of everyone leaving him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. Just please, don't try and fight with Dad, you know he is stressed."

"His fault," Virgil muttered, but his voice was lacking the heat from before and he stayed quiet as Scott led him around the house to the car. Nothing was said as they approached the rest of the family. Their grandmother had managed to get the two youngest into the car, something their father had been struggling with when Scott had left. Gordon just didn't want to do as he was told. That in itself was nothing new, but this time, Scott knew the reasoning behind it. If their grandmother – or even Scott himself – had told the child, Gordon would have pouted, but given in. Virgil wasn't the only one who had noticed their father's absence lately, and the redhead was after any attention he could get from the man, even if this was the wrong type.

"Ah, there you boys are." It was the old woman who had noticed their approach, and Scott gripped Virgil's shoulder softly before nudging him forward. Jeff looked like he wanted to say something, but kept his mouth shut, something for which Scott was grateful. If Virgil ran again, Scott knew that even he wouldn't be able to persuade his little brother to get in the car.

"Now, Scott, can you run up those stairs and tell your brother that we are going to go without him unless he gets that nose of his out of that book? Goodness knows how many times I've called him."

Scott nodded, glancing once more at Virgil as he headed towards the partly-open front door. The younger boy was purposefully looking everywhere but in the direction of their father. Scott heard the small sigh from Grandma as he moved past her and knew that she too had seen it. The oldest brother couldn't help but smile. He was sure that by the time he got back from fetching John, she would have the situation between Virgil and Jeff sorted. Or, at least, under control enough that they would be able to go for a few hours without any tense words.

Taking the stairs two at a time, Scott paused outside of John's door. There was always something so peaceful about his brother's room and, considering the atmosphere outside, Scott wondered whether he could just hide in there as well. Eventually, he sighed, tapping lightly on the door.

"John?"

"Mmm?"

His brother's response made Scott smirk. No wonder his grandmother hadn't been able to get an answer out of the blond. The vacant tone to John's voice showed that he was clearly engrossed in whatever he was doing. Pushing against the door, Scott let himself in. It came as no surprise to see his brother sprawled across his bed, lying on his stomach, reading.

"We have to go."

"Not for another half an hour."

"No, now. It's been an hour since I told you that we only had half an hour left."

"What?" The thirteen year old slowly rolled over, blinking owlishly at his brother as he brought his mind back into the real world. "Do we have to?"

Unlike Virgil's defiance, there was a quiet acceptance in John's voice. But he seemed to think that this holiday was going to be just as disastrous as his younger brother did. Despite secretly agreeing with them, Scott nodded at his brother's question.

"Come on, Johnny. It will be good to get away from here, and we will still have the rest of the summer when we get back. You know that tree in the woods has grown enough this year to climb?"

"I don't want to go, Scott."

John's whisper made Scott stop in his attempt to distract his brother. The oldest Tracy son glanced at the cover of the book in John's hand and sighed. Virgil wasn't the only one visibly reacting. The book told Scott enough. Their mother's favourite.

"We need to get away for a bit, John. Besides, I thought it had a good view of that meteor you were going on about the other day?"

"You remembered?"

Scott grinned, pulling his younger brother to his feet. Subtly, he slipped the book from John's hand and tossed it back on the bed as he pulled the boy from his room and nudged him towards the stairs. If John was going to be able to get any benefit from the time away, he needed to leave the book behind. Scott knew why he was reading it so desperately; it was the same reason why he had been reading it since the accident, since they had lost their mother. It was his attempt to cling on to her, and Scott couldn't fault him in that. But he knew that his younger brothers needed a break from it all. They needed to be able to act their ages again. Ironically, he didn't include himself in that.

"Don't have to sound so surprised, I do listen, y'know."

"Apart from when Grandma tells you not to touch the apple pie!" John shot back immediately, and Scott felt his grin widen. Maybe John was going to be alright after all.

The pair made it out of the front door, and Scott immediately snagged his younger brother's arm, a frown leaping onto his face as he watched the scene in front of him. Virgil was in the car with the others, but their grandmother was talking in a quiet tone to their father. Jeff's expression was ranging between upset, angry and resigned, and Scott had a feeling he knew what was being spoken about. Clearing his throat noisily, he didn't want the adults knowing that he and John had witnessed it.

"Look who I found." Nudging John forward, Scott briefly caught his father's eye, and felt the smile he had planted on his face fade. There was something lost about Jeff these days, almost as if he didn't know how to react around his own sons any more. Scott faltered for a moment, but sensed more than saw John half turn. By the time the younger Tracy looked at his brother, the smile was firmly back in place.

John frowned at his brother. He knew why Scott was putting on the smile, and knew that it was working for the younger ones, but his brother was more foolish than he thought if he believed that it would work on him. He could see straight through it, and knew the reasoning behind it as well. Scott caught his eye and shook his head ever so slightly. Somehow, he knew that John knew. But right now, considering the journey they had ahead of them, he didn't want it brought up. Tilting his head towards the car, Scott inwardly sighed with relief as John merely rolled his eyes and got in, their father following suit.

"Scott?"

Just as he went to climb in, Scott found himself called back by his grandmother. He turned, frowning slightly when she beckoned him over. As soon as he was in reach, the fifteen year old found himself pulled into a hug.

"Look after them," she whispered softly in his ear, and despite everything, Scott found himself smiling.

"Always," he murmured in response, grateful when she pulled back. He might not be the average teenager any more after what their family had been through in the last few months, but there was still a limit to what he would and would not do.

But it was with a smile on his face that he climbed into the family car and watched the farmhouse disappear around the bend. He still had it present when Gordon started asking if they were there yet only ten minutes later.

TBTBTB

The smile, however, was not still present when, five hours later, the car finally turned into the hotel where they were staying. Yawning widely, Scott climbed out at the same time as his father.

"Can you take Alan?" Jeff muttered, helping Gordon out. He went to do the same with Virgil, but had his hand shrugged off almost violently and Virgil jumped out himself. As Scott leant in, unbuckled and then proceeded to pick up his five-year-old brother, he caught sight of Virgil's face. Despite his best efforts to stay angry at their father, he couldn't hide the look of awe as he took in the sight of the grand hotel. This was certainly something different to anywhere they had ever been before. But at the same time, Scott knew precisely why they had come somewhere so posh. Virgil had been right when accusing Jeff of trying to organise a family holiday around a business meeting.

"Scotty?"

Hearing the sleepy mumble, Scott smiled as Alan buried his face in his shoulder, trying to go back to sleep. It had seemed like a long journey for them all; even Gordon had eventually grown silent. John was the luckiest thanks to his ability to read in the car and being used to curling up on a seat for hours. The rest of the Tracys, however, were normally far too active to sit still for that length of time.

"Can I go swimming now?"

It was only John reaching out and snagging the back of Gordon's collar that stopped the child from running off as Jeff attempted to get the luggage out of the car.

"No, we have to book in first." Placing the suitcases down, Jeff smiled gratefully at his second-born. The thirteen-year-old had immediately picked two of them up. With Alan in his arms, Scott was only able to throw one on his back, and no one was foolish enough to ask Virgil to help if the mutinous expression on his face was anything to go by. Unable to stop himself, Scott found that he was trading somewhat amused looks with John even as he shifted Alan to a more secure position. Virgil clearly didn't understand why his two older brothers were trying to make life easy for their father. Judging by the expression on John's face, he too knew what was going through his immediate younger brother's head.

Jeff had the last case and the paperwork in one hand, and Gordon's hand firmly in his other, knowing that the energy was coming back into his seven-year-old now that he was out of the car. With the excitement of the holiday, the child was almost bouncing along, skipping on at least every third step as he swung from Jeff's hand, letting out an audible gasp as they stepped into the building.

Even Jeff had to fight to keep his expression neutral as he took in the surroundings. He wouldn't normally opt for a place like this to bring the boys, knowing that the trouble Gordon alone could cause meant it was often too much hassle. But this potential business partner had offered to pay for the entire family, and Jeff wasn't sure whether he was up to organising anything else for the boys. That had always been Lucy's job, and like many aspects of their life that he was losing control over, he needed her. It just seemed the easiest way – the facilities the hotel offered would have something that catered to all of the boys and would keep them occupied whilst he had to deal with business, and it meant he was finally giving in to his mother's demands for him to get his sons away from the house for a while.

Ten minutes later, however, and he wasn't sure whether he would be regretting that decision or not. Gordon was pointing out everything that had caught his eye in an overly loud voice, already gaining the family some disapproving looks from the old men in suits who were sitting in the deep armchairs. Virgil decided to tell his brother to shut up in a way that immediately made Gordon fight back, resulting in Scott standing in the middle of them with Alan still in his arms, trying to get them to quieten down. John had helpfully wandered off, his fingers tracing over the marble-work on one of the pillars that surrounded the reception area, a faraway expression on his face.

There were times when Scott hated being the oldest. Alan was half asleep in his arms, Gordon and Virgil were sniping at each other and, out of the corner of his eye, Scott could see one of the elderly gentlemen engaging John in conversation. Just like every other time lately, Jeff was too busy focusing on something else to take note of what his boys were up to.

"John!" Scott's snap made Alan whine miserably. His big brother rubbed a hand soothingly across his back as he watched the younger teenager glare at him before making his way over.

"What was that for?"

"Who was that?"

"Someone who saw me looking at the stonework and decided to give me a history lesson on it!" John snapped back, and Scott found himself relaxing. John struggled to make conversation with people his own age, his unique outlook on things isolating him. He found conversing with adults much easier, something Scott had grown wary of. With their father not paying the attention he should, Scott hated having to keep an eye on his normally sensible brother to make sure he wasn't talking to anyone he shouldn't be. Give it a few years, and he would be able to relax. But with John only at thirteen, Scott knew it was still up to him to keep an eye on his brother.

"Can you help me with these two?" he muttered, trying to make it seem like he had dragged John over for a reason other than to just get him away from the man. John nodded and grabbed Virgil by the arm, hauling him away. Normally, Virgil would have kicked up a fuss at that as well, but the timing worked in Scott's favour as Jeff finally came back over with two keys.

"Scott, John, you are sharing. Virgil and Gordon, you are in with me."

"What 'bout me?" a sleepy voice muttered, looking around with wide eyes.

"You're with me too, baby." Jeff was quick to reassure Alan, rubbing his hand soothingly over his back. He hadn't realised his youngest was awake enough to be following the conversation, but Scott had never been so thankful to hear Alan sound so worried, not if it distracted their father. Virgil's face had become thunderous at hearing that his two older brothers got to be in a room on their own whilst he was being classed as a younger one and stuck with his father. John followed Scott's worried gaze and quickly leant over, whispering something in Virgil's ear. Their oldest brother had no idea what had been said, but Virgil's face lit up and he nodded eagerly.

Somehow, Scott had a feeling that he was going to regret whatever had just been said. It wasn't often John would get that look on his face that said he was up to something, but when he did, he was worse than the younger three put together. And considering how creative Gordon had been getting recently, that was saying something. Scott narrowed his eyes, and John merely raised his eyebrows, leaving his big brother sighing in exasperation. He wasn't going to get anything out of him. It looked as though he would just have to wait and see when and if the plan unfolded and deal with it then. But if he was honest, if it meant that they could go a few more hours without Virgil kicking off, that was fine by Scott.

"Alright, boys, we'll head up the stairs, get freshened up and then we should have some time before dinner."

"Swim!"

Scott could have predicted Gordon's excited yell, and even Jeff had to smile, despite the looks they were receiving. He reached over and ruffled his second-youngest son's hair.

"I should have guessed." Moving on from Gordon, he plucked Alan out of Scott's arms and motioned with his head to the luggage that he could no longer carry. Virgil glared, but Scott nodded softly. He would carry more than that if it meant that his father held Alan. He wasn't sure the last time he had seen that. Picking up the bags, he nudged Virgil in the back with his elbow to make the younger boy move and set off up the winding staircase after his father.

TBTBTB

An hour later, and they were all back down again. The pool was large enough that even Gordon was momentarily stunned, before being grabbed by John to stop him running off. Rules were given out, John and Virgil disappeared and Scott found himself with his water-loving brother. There was a time when he had hated being with one of the younger ones in the water, his concern over their safety stopping him from enjoying himself. But with Gordon, there was no fear. Even being younger, he was already at least as strong, if not stronger than his oldest brother in the water, and Scott found himself relaxing. He didn't have to worry at this moment in time, didn't have to think about Virgil's murderous expression which had been present more than once throughout the day. For once, he could just enjoy the time to play around with his younger brother.

If he was honest, he didn't realise how tense he had been until he finally managed to drag Gordon out nearly three hours later. John and Virgil too were only just giving in to their hunger and dragging themselves away. There wasn't just a pool, but a whole games room to one side and indoor tennis courts to the other. Scott knew the other two hadn't been in the water the whole time, but as they finally joined the others, laughing at something, he didn't care. Jeff had got Alan dried off much earlier and was sitting in the small cafe, watching his sons play around.

But it wasn't just Scott the rest had done good. Even Virgil seemed to have calmed down, grinning as he and John reencountered the adventures they had already had and the ones they were planning next. Watching them, Scott couldn't help but smile. With Virgil relaxed, so was Jeff. Maybe this holiday could do what they needed, and as he swiped the last cookie from Gordon and grinned at his brother's protests, Scott blew out a long breath.

Things were finally beginning to look up.


	2. Chapter 2

**I cannot even begin to say thank you for the amazing reviews on this. I'm actually blown away, can't believe it. It really means the world to me, and as special thanks to Whirlgirl as I couldn't respond to you directly. Thanks again.**

The evening had gone better than any of them had expected, a sudden storm over on the West Coast meaning that instead of arriving that evening, the business partner Jeff was due to meet couldn't even hope to arrive until the next day. John had kept his eyes down throughout the meal, but had been unable to stop the small, yet strangely smug smile from forming on his face after a waitress had delivered the message. Their father had looked slightly annoyed, but as tiredness began to catch up on Alan and he didn't want to eat any more, the man had been distracted by having to be a father rather than a businessman for a change.

Naturally, Scott had caught the look on John's face and the second the two of them were alone in their room – after they'd both promised Virgil to make it up to him – he had whirled on his younger brother, demanding to know what that had been about. After forcibly pushing Scott back, for he was always one who liked his personal space, John had sat down heavily on his bed, staring out of the window.

Sensing the change in his mood, Scott had come to perch next to him, but didn't crowd his brother this time. With a smile back on his face, John admitted softly how he had asked their mother for the chance to be a family - at least for a little while. And then they had received an evening together with no tears and no tantrums, when Jeff should have left them to begin negotiations. Scott had a smile on his own face by the time John had finished, and the two teenagers had talked long into the night. At one point, they had been laughing so hard Scott had sworn that he had heard Jeff stirring in the next room. An instant hush had fallen across them, John stuffing the pillow into his mouth to stifle his giggles before they had both finally fallen asleep at about 1AM.

Needless to say, neither brother had wanted to wake up the next morning. When John was finally dragged from sleep by a persistent noise, Scott merely groaned and stuck his head under the pillows. John had to smile as he sat up, looking around the room for where the tapping noise could possibly be coming from. It was nice to know that his brother could just be a normal teenager at times, no matter what mature front he showed the younger ones. In a way, John felt proud that Scott allowed his immediate younger brother to see him at his most vulnerable. Virgil only ever saw him as someone in control, someone who had to apologise for their father's actions.

Pushing thoughts of Scott's vulnerabilities aside, the blond gazed around the room, frowning when the noise continued. Eventually, his eyes fell on the door separating the room from the small balcony the boys had, and John felt his jaw drop in shock.

"Gordon?" he breathed, stealing forward and unlocking the door, letting his redheaded brother into the room before closing the door with a click behind him. "What are you doing? How..?"

"Dad and Virgil are still asleep and he's locked the main door. I can't reach."

"Gords, did you just climb over the balcony?" John couldn't believe what his seven-year-old brother was implying. He knew Gordon was good at getting what he wanted, but even so, that was taking things to extremes.

"It was easy," the child said with a shrug, flopping down on John's bed and then grinning in delight when he realised how bouncy it was. "The lock was easy and it's no different from when you used to climb out of your window into the tree."

"How did you know about that?" John hissed, glancing at Scott and hoping that his brother was truly still asleep. He had thought he had covered himself on that, making sure no one was around every time he did it. If he was honest, the tree made him feel more at one with the world, allowing him a better view of the stars than just leaning out of his window. Gordon, however, just grinned impishly and put one finger to his lips, clearly indicating that he wasn't letting anything out. John couldn't help but note how much older Gordon looked right now. He could pull off the innocent seven-year-old act when he needed to, but there was something far too devious in his eyes when he looked like that.

"Does Dad know where you are?" Given the fact that Gordon had already mentioned Jeff still being asleep and that he had somehow got away with climbing over the balcony, John had a feeling he knew the answer to that question. Judging by the slightly guilty look that shot over Gordon's face, he was right.

"Gordon!" John forgot to keep his voice down and Scott pulled his head out from under the pillows, hair sticking up in all directions and a slight glare on his face at the loud noise. That immediately softened and then disappeared when he caught sight of Gordon, and Scott jumped out of bed.

"Morning, kiddo. Sleep well?" As Gordon nodded enthusiastically, John just stood there gaping for a moment.

"Scott, he..."

"Any of the others up?" Scott continued as if he hadn't heard John's interruption, moving across the room and trying to flatten his hair in the mirror.

"Nope," Gordon responded happily, scrambling off John's bed and moving over to Scott's, leaping onto it with a flourish.

"Dad wanted an earlyish breakfast, I guess we should probably..."

"Scott, he climbed over the balcony!" John suddenly yelped, determined to make sure his oldest brother knew precisely what their younger was up to. Somehow, he wasn't sure Scott would take it too well. Which meant that when Scott glanced at Gordon with a twinkle in his eye and simply _shrugged_, John was sure this had to be some sort of weird dream. Surely there was no way Scott – known for being the overprotective one – was going to let Gordon get away with it?

"You mean to say you've never done something like that?"

John made to protest when his brother looked at him pointedly and John knew what he was getting at. Either Scott hadn't been asleep when Gordon had revealed John's secret of climbing out of the window, or the star-lover really hadn't been as careful as he thought and another brother had known all along. Whilst he wasn't sure Scott would do it, John wouldn't put blackmail past Gordon. Looked like he was going to have to stay quiet on this one.

"But Dad will be worried," Scott continued, moving from the mirror and grabbing some clothes before disappearing into the bathroom. "We'll get dressed and take Houdini here back."

"Who?" Gordon asked quizzically, but Scott didn't answer and John was still standing there in something he was sure resembled shock. Maybe he would ask Virgil about it later, Gordon thought. His brother seemed to already know things like that, despite only being ten.

Scott had to prod John into moving when he got back out of the bathroom. His younger brother still seemed to be trying to process how he had been caught out so spectacularly, and as he pushed the boy into the bathroom, Scott had to smile. Of course he hadn't been properly asleep when Gordon had turned up; he too had heard the tapping. He just wanted to see how John handled it, and knew that the same protective streak was in him as it was the oldest brother. And naturally, despite overhearing Gordon outing John, he had already known. John's windowsill creaked, although whether he knew it or not was something else. With a room next door, it hadn't taken Scott long at all to work out what the noise was.

Now it was just him and Gordon left in the room, Scott whirled on his little brother. With John out of earshot, he could talk to Gordon without the troublemaker trying to reveal something Scott didn't want John knowing.

"If you try that again - or anything of the sort - whilst we are away, I'm going back on my promise to drive you to swim practice next year." It was a deal they had had for as long as Gordon could remember, and immediately he glared at his brother.

"I'll tell Dad what you did last summer if you do that."

"Then I'll tell Virgil who switched his paints," Scott said calmly as Gordon's face fell. Gordon might be the troublemaker, but there came a certain amount of power from being the oldest. There was nothing Gordon could hold over him that Scott couldn't return ten-fold, and these days, Virgil being told something was more explosive than going to their father. For a moment, Gordon looked like he wasn't going to back down, but as the bathroom door opened and a now-dressed John was revealed, he glanced at the floor and nodded. Scott grinned, reaching over to ruffle his hair. All in a morning's work for the oldest Tracy brother!

"C'mon, Dad will be freaking if he's up." Snagging the back of Gordon's collar as he headed towards the balcony again, Scott practically dragged him towards the main door. "We'll go the normal way," he said firmly, reaching out and flicking the catch and letting the door open as he pulled Gordon towards the room next door. John followed behind, a small grin on his face. He didn't know what had been said when he was dressing, but there was a change in the atmosphere between his older and younger brother, and he knew without being told that Scott's laid back attitude at Gordon's stunt hadn't lasted.

Scott had his fist raised to knock when all three brothers froze, John fighting to hide his grin at the noises they could hear in the room. Jeff was indeed up, and had noticed he was missing a son. Judging by the sounds of things, Virgil wasn't helping and Alan, too, had discovered how bouncy the beds were. John just about saw the twitch in the corner of Scott's mouth that showed he too was trying not to laugh, before he knocked on the door.

There was a pause and they could hear their father asking Virgil to get it. The middle son's response was muffled, but John could guess what had been said as the door was jerked open. Virgil certainly hadn't done as he was told, for it was a stressed-looking Jeff who had opened the door.

"Morning, boys," he said somewhat tersely.

John moved into the room, letting out a laugh at the state of it. Jeff had clearly noticed a while ago that Gordon wasn't around and had obviouslybeen trying to find his troublesome son.

"Look who we found," Scott said lightly, following John into the room and dragging Gordon in behind him, shutting the door and flicking the catch so the troublemaker couldn't get back out again. As Gordon glared at him, Jeff frowned in confusion. The look on Gordon's face proved what Jeff had already believed – he couldn't reach to open the door if the lock had been turned. So how on earth..?

Scott caught the look on his father's face and correctly interpreted the expression. "You don't want to know and it's been dealt with," he muttered, brushing past the man and going to sit on the bed. Alan immediately scurried across, tripped over a pillow and was caught by his biggest brother, giggling the whole time. Jeff glanced at John with a raised eyebrow, but when his second-oldest son just shrugged, he knew what Scott said was true. And the fact that Gordon wasn't completely kicking off showed that Scott might have even handled it better than Jeff himself could have. There was no way the father would have resorted to blackmailing tactics, but all he cared about was that it had worked.

"Virgil, up!" Jeff barked, turning back to the rest of the room and beginning to put some of the things away from where they had been pulled out in his haste. The tone of his voice revealed to the older two that this was not the first time he had asked.

"D'nt wanna..." A slurred reply came from under a pillow, the grip on it turning Virgil's knuckles white. He was quite clearly awake, and whether he genuinely didn't want to get up, or was just trying to make things awkward for his father, Scott wasn't sure. He untangled himself from Alan and put the youngster on the floor, causing the child to run over to John. The older blond only just had enough time to steady himself before the five-year-old was wrapped around his legs, smiling brightly up at him as if he hadn't seen him for days. As John crouched down to Alan, Scott stood up, moving over to Virgil and sitting on the bed.

Jeff opened his mouth, and Scott could almost hear the reprimand before it was spoken. He hadn't exactly been a morning person himself when their mother was still alive. The change of lifestyle and being more responsible for his brothers had Scott almost leaping out of bed nowadays, but he knew his father's tactics for getting his sons up. They had always left Scott in a bad mood for hours, and he had no desire to fuel Virgil's mood further He shook his head at the man, and laid a hand on his brother's shoulder.

"Oi, sleepyhead. Aren't you even going to say hello?"

"Go 'way, Scott," Virgil mumbled, shaking himself in order to try and rid himself of the hand that just wouldn't let him sleep. In reality, the artist had been awake for hours. He had heard Gordon sneaking out, and, wanting his father to leave him alone for a bit, hadn't said anything, just letting the trouble unfold. He should have known Scott would defuse the situation before it even sparked off.

"That's not very nice." Scott's tone was light, but he knew it would be annoying Virgil. All he had to do was annoy him enough to pull his head from under the pillow, and then he knew that he would have won. Placing his hand back on his brother's back, Scott changed his plan as Virgil pulled away again. Once more he touched his brother, and once more Virgil twisted away.

Only this time, he twisted too far and fell out of the bed. Landing with a thump on the floor, Virgil was still clutching his pillow as he glared up at Scott.

"Ahh, there he is! Morning, kid."

"You are an evil and despicable human being," Virgil mumbled, but still let said brother help him back up again.

"Now, that is a long word for someone who isn't awake. Unless..."

Virgil's glare simply deepened as he realised that Scott had guessed he had been awake for a while and had just wanted to not play along with Jeff's idea of a family vacation. It was the same attitude that had caused him to kick up a fuss before they had even left home.

"Why don't you go and hold your breath and I'll count to six million?"

"Can you count that high?" There was a teasing note in Scott's voice, and even though Virgil's glare appeared to deepen, his brother could see him softening. No matter what mood Virgil was in, the light teasing Scott threw at him was always a way of getting through to his ten-year-old brother. Yell at him, and Virgil just yelled back.

At Virgil's next response, Scott knew that he had won. His younger brother simply stuck his tongue out at him, grabbed some clothes and disappeared. It was only then that Scott realised their father had been watching the whole thing with a sorrowful look.

"He'll come round," Scott said softly, but the confidence he had when dealing with his brothers disappeared as he turned to his father and he very much sounded his age.

"Course he will," Jeff said with a smile, reaching over and ruffling Scott's hair before turning to take Alan from John to finish sorting him out. None of his sons noticed the way his tone and slight smile didn't come even close to reaching his eyes. Amazingly, Gordon had got dressed before he had taken on the balcony, and his oldest brother couldn't help but wonder just how long he had been awake.

Despite the chaotic morning, it had still only just gone nine by the time the family made it down for breakfast. Alan was swinging off John's arm and Scott's grip on Gordon's collar had returned when he realised the route down took them past the pool. But even though his brother had told him off that morning, Gordon never stayed annoyed for long, and barely seemed to notice since he wasn't trying to pull away.

If only all of the brothers could let go of their annoyance as easily as Gordon. Even though Scott had managed to get him up, Virgil was still not prepared to make things easy. Jeff was trying to engage him in conversation, to find a way of getting through to his son in the same way that Scott had managed. It didn't seem right that his eldest son had taken more control over his siblings that morning than his father had. But no matter what Jeff tried, he was just met with a moody glare. Scott kept sending worried glances over his shoulder, but he couldn't deny that it was nice to just be able to joke about with Gordon a bit rather than having to play the peace-maker.

Even so, he just hoped that no one else noticed the way Jeff looked around the restaurant as they entered, hoping they didn't see the way his eyes flickered about before looking slightly disappointed that his client hadn't yet arrived. Scott sighed, letting go of Gordon's collar and taking his hand instead. The child looked surprised, but didn't resist, smiling in Scott's direction.

But this time, the oldest had got it wrong. Jeff had been looking around for the man, and was indeed disappointed that he hadn't yet arrived. But not for the reasons Scott thought. Jeff wanted to begin negotiations – just so he could get them finished. With business out of the way, he would be able to spend time with his sons and make the most of the family holiday. At the end of the day, that was why they were there. He could have seen the man in his office but wanted the boys to have a break. When the offer to meet at the hotel had been made, it was as though his dreams had come true. He just didn't realise how his sons were interpreting his actions.

They made it through breakfast without mishap - unless Gordon knocking over his glass counted. But considering it was a table with five boys on it, things could have been a lot worse. Even Virgil managed to lose his frown as plans for the day were discussed. There were enough things to do and enough supervised activities that they could all do pretty much whatever they wanted. Gordon immediately voted for anything that involved water, and Alan tried to copy Scott. Seeing his oldest son's grimace, Jeff stepped in. There was no way a five-year-old could do the same activity as a fifteen-year-old, and he didn't want Scott changing his plans for Alan – for he knew his son would. Promising his youngest some much needed time with his father and feeling his heart lift at the grin on Alan's face, Jeff felt his heart lift.

John saw the smiles on their faces and secretly grinned to himself. He knew that, rationally, last night's storm had nothing to do with him in the slightest, but considering he had almost begged his mother to help Jeff come back to them, he couldn't help but feel smug. He had stared at that star until his eyes had watered the night before they left home, and now it was paying off. Scott caught his eye over the table, saw the grin and thought back to the conversation they had had the night before. It had been nice to get John to himself for a bit. He could have conversations with his immediate younger brother that he couldn't have with the rest of them, and he wouldn't change it for the world now.

But the smile faded from Scott's face as a shadow fell over the table. The scowl immediately returned to Virgil's face when he caught sight of the business suit, and knew that was the last they would see of their father for a while. As Jeff stood up with a smile and an outstretched hand, Virgil found himself watching Scott and John. They were watching the exchange closely, and both looked impressed. Virgil couldn't tell why, but neither of them had seen Jeff in proper business mode before. He was in a loose shirt and old jeans, surrounded by sons, with Alan's sticky handprint on his shirt. And yet, he somehow had an air about him, one of control, and a quiet confidence that showed who was in charge of the situation, even though the other man was wearing a crisp suit.

The boys exchanged dark looks as pleasantries were exchanged, but Scott's sharp kick to Virgil's ankle stopped him from glaring at the man when Jeff turned to introduce the rest of the family. Each son nodded in greeting, apart from Alan who waved enthusiastically, then caught the mood around the table and snuggled into John's side, his thumb going to his mouth. Scott leant over and gently tugged it out again, causing John to smile. They didn't realise their interaction was being watched by a shadow at the man's side. As Jeff finished, the man looked coolly at the table.

"Arnold Swinger," he said coldly, looking disapproving. "But you children can call me `Sir`." Scott, John and Virgil all bristled, Gordon scowled and Alan put his thumb back in his mouth. Jeff didn't look happy about the way his boys were being addressed, but turned his attention to the child hovering at the man's side.

"What's your name?" he asked gently. Somehow, he didn't think Swinger was going to introduce his son. The boy hadn't yet uttered a word, his dress sense matching his father's. Scott exchanged a meaningful look with John, and knew by the raising of his brother's eyebrows that he got the message. They thought it was bad that a business meeting had to dominate their family time. But looking at this boy, it could be so much worse.

"Oscar Swinger," the child said promptly, his tone clipped and just as cold as his father's. Jeff's smile faltered for a moment before he hitched it back into place.

"Jeff," he said by way of introduction, a complete contrast to how Swinger had addressed his own children. Oscar, however, didn't seem to be impressed, and John could have sworn the child turned up his nose at the attempt at being friendly. A silence fell across the table, and Jeff coughed apologetically.

"How about we meet in the lobby in one hour? You can get settled into your room and I'll have time to sort the boys out?"

Swinger sniffed, stepping closer to Jeff. Despite not wanting to admit it, Virgil was impressed that his father didn't step back.

"This is business, not a family vacation," Swinger said in an icy tone and Jeff levelled his gaze at him coolly.

"If you invite my whole family to stay, it _is_ a family vacation. You didn't arrive when expected, even if no fault of your own. Now you have to wait for me."

The Tracy boys gaped at each other. None of them had ever heard Jeff talk to anyone like that before, and Swinger simply sniffed again. It was clear that he had accepted what Jeff had said, but that he was going to make sure the father didn't put his children first again.

"What about you, Oscar? Are you doing any of the activities today?" Jeff asked kindly, ignoring the father and turning his attention to the son instead.

"I can take care of myself!" the child retorted rudely, and Gordon spluttered on his mouthful of juice. Their father might not be around much, but there was no way they would be able to speak to him like that. Virgil looked more than astonished even as he leant over and thumped his younger brother on the back. Jeff stiffened, before visibly forcing himself to relax.

"I've no doubt of that. Why don't you go with Virgil? You boys are about the same age; you can make friends and then you won't have to be on your own whilst your Dad and I talk about boring stuff."

"It's educational," Swinger said snottily, and this time, Scott was forced to kick John as the blond looked to be on the verge of laughing. Virgil's face, however, was like thunder. And if they were honest, Oscar's was not much better.

"Just let him make friends," Jeff pushed. Swinger rolled his eyes, but nudged Oscar forward. He and Virgil glared at each other, the temperature seeming to drop as Alan snuggled into John again, looking with wide eyes between his big brother and the strange boy.

As the two ten-year-olds measured each other up with glares, Virgil was certain of one thing and one thing alone.

He was not going to be friends with this boy.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you so much for all of the reviews and support with this, it means the world. Special thanks to those whom I can't respond directly to!**

The five Tracy boys stood in a small huddle outside the door leading to the pool. Already, splashes and yells of delight could be heard from within, and in a moment of precaution, John had rested his hand on Gordon's shoulder, to stop the fidgeting, if nothing else. Alan was clinging onto Scott's hand, a big grin on his face that was the complete opposite to the expression on their biggest brother's face. Scott was smiling sure enough, but Virgil knew he wasn't the only one who saw how it didn't reach his eyes. This was supposed to be a break for them all, but once again Scott had been stuck with babysitting duty. They could tell he didn't mind too much - Alan's excitement at having Scott to himself was almost infectious. But it was the principle of the matter that had Virgil so annoyed. Jeff had promised to take his youngest for today, then changed his mind as soon as things turned to business.

If he was honest, Virgil would swap with Scott any day. The Tracys weren't the only ones present. Oscar was leaning against one of the huge marble pillars that were scattered everywhere and which had fascinated John so much on arrival. His arms were folded across his chest and there was a sneer on his face as he watched the brothers converse. Scott had tried to be nice, to involve Oscar in the conversation in order to make him feel welcome, but the boy had turned up his nose in disgust and stalked off to one side. Virgil glared moodily at the floor, not believing his luck that it was he who was now stuck with the spoiled child.

"So we are all going to meet back here at twelve?" John was in the process of asking, but Scott shook his head.

"Alan and I are on the other side. How about you come via here to get Gordon when you are done, then meet us in the restaurant? Dad promised that he would join us."

"You know what Dad's promises are like these days," Virgil muttered under his breath, and immediately received twin glares from his two older brothers. Even Gordon shot him a hurt look, but Virgil wasn't going to apologise. The man had possibly just landed him with the worst vacation he was ever going to remember, all because he wanted a business deal.

"I was going to say that Virgil can meet us there, but if he is that immature..." Scott began, narrowing his eyes at his younger brother. They softened in sympathy when he caught sight of how dejected the boy looked, and he sighed heavily. He was going to have his work cut out for him trying to make everyone happy over the next few weeks, of that he was sure. But he couldn't blame Virgil; he already wanted to smack Oscar over the head for being a brat. But with any luck, when they were around people their own age, the boy would soften and Virgil would find a friend. Glancing over at the cool posture of the child, Scott only just held back a grimace. How could someone look so arrogant when he had only just turned ten? As he turned back to face his brothers, he caught John's eye and knew that the teenager was thinking the same thing.

"Virgil?"

"What?"

"Do you want to meet us there, or would you rather I came and met you? It's almost on the way." Scott could see the indecision on Virgil's face. On the one hand, he loved spending time with his oldest and youngest brothers, and them coming to meet him would give him the chance to talk to them before Gordon's excited babble dominated the rest of the conversation over lunch. But on the other hand, having Scott get him the way John had to go and get Gordon..? And in front of Oscar as well..?

"I'll meet you there," he muttered, knowing that this was just going to be the first time he pushed away what he really wanted. Scott gave him a swift, but searching look. Eventually, he nodded and tightened his grip on Alan's hand.

"You all know where to go. Virg, turn left at the end of this corridor and follow the path, you'll end up on the beach."

Virgil nodded, suddenly looking forward to a morning of being able to relax with the view of the sea. Sure, he knew the paints that he was about to be provided with were nothing compared to what he was used to, but he was just glad to have some way of findinghis usual escape from reality.

"Can we go now?" Gordon whined, his eyes drifting to the doorway of the pool more and more as the clock ticked on. Scott smiled, reaching over and ruffling his hair.

"Go on then."

Gordon needed no more encouragement and let out a whoop, shrugging off John's hand and running in. The rest of the brothers – even Alan – grinned at his excitement.

"I'm going that way." John jerked his thumb over his shoulder before bending down and giving Alan a quick hug. Mirroring Scott's actions he ruffled Virgil's hair – receiving a mock-glare in return – grinned at Scott and walked back down the corridor. Scott watched him go, shaking his head fondly at the quiet excitement he could sense from his immediate younger brother. John was just as enthusiastic as Gordon, just in a true John-style, managed to mask it slightly.

"Us now!" Alan exclaimed excitedly, tugging on Scott's hand. Virgil didn't even know what his older brother was planning to do to keep the younger occupied for the couple of hours until they were meeting up again, but felt a flash of jealousy as Scott smiled down at the five-year-old.

"Come on then, Sprout. You know where you are going, kiddo?"

Virgil blinked, not realising that he was the one being addressed, then nodded. He was desperately trying to ignore the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach when he glanced over at Oscar, seeing the scowl on the boy's face.

"What? Oh yeah, I'll be fine. Left at the end of the corridor. Carry on until you see big blue thing, I think I can handle it, Scotty."

Virgil grinned at his brother, Scott's relief evident in his eyes at Virgil's relaxed tone. He grinned back, said goodbye, and led Alan away. They had only made it a few steps down the hallway before Alan tore away from Scott. He ran back to Virgil, and threw his arms around his big brother's waist.

"Have fun, Virgy!" he said with a broad grin. Virgil felt his smile widen as he bent down, giving the little boy a hug.

"You too, Allie." With that, Alan managed to walk away properly this time, slipping his hand back into a beaming Scott's, but still pausing to give Virgil an energetic wave as they disappeared around a corner.

"Sickening."

Virgil's smile disappeared like lightning as he turned to face Oscar, the scowl emerging on his own face matching that of the other boy. Virgil glared.

"That's my family you are talking about."

"Makes me glad to be an only child."

Virgil was quite proud of himself in that moment. Whilst he wanted nothing more than to punch Oscar - hard - he instead took a deep breath. Shutting his eyes momentarily, he did what Scott always told him to do when Gordon was winding him up, and counted to ten. Opening his eyes again, he glanced at Oscar in a level manner.

"You don't know what you are missing. Now come on, our fathers said that you should do the same as me this morning, and then you can pick your own activity this afternoon." Not waiting for an answer, Virgil set off. He was quite surprised when he heard Oscar following him, but decided not to comment on it. He didn't want to tempt fate, wondering if Oscar's indifference had just been for show when the others were around.

He should have known that life was never going to be that easy.

When they reached the end of the corridor, Virgil turned left. Oscar went right.

"Wh...where are you going? It's this way, you must have heard Scott?"

Oscar glanced over at the slightly shorter boy and took a step towards him. Virgil might have said it was an attempt at intimidation if he hadn't had two older brothers. Scott hadn't always been as patient as he was now...

"I'm not going that way. I'm not going to your stupid beach just because your brother told you to. I'm going this way."

Virgil frowned, glancing over Oscar's shoulder. "But there is nothing down there apart from... oh." His voice trailed off as Oscar smirked, a clear sign that Virgil was heading on the right line.

"Nothing down there apart from the casinos."

Virgil raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms and looking at Oscar in disbelief.

"What's the point of that? They won't let you near, let alone in."

"You mean you've never used your father's name to get what you want? Of course they'll let me in, my father's given them so much business over the years, they wouldn't dare get on the wrong side of a Swinger. You can do the same. Of course, my dad is way richer than yours, but a Tracy should be able to get in."

"No!" Virgil's voice rose dramatically as he took a step backwards, unable to believe what he was hearing. "It's wrong, you can't go down that way, you aren't allowed."

"Coward."

"Am not! Just don't want to, besides, I..." Virgil stopped himself, not knowing where he was going with his argument that wasn't just going to give Oscar more reason to think that he was a coward. He wasn't! They just weren't allowed. Besides, Virgil had no desire to even try it, not when there was a painting class waiting outside for him in the sunshine.

"You are! You're a coward that only does what his big brother says!"

"Stop it! I said I would look after you this morning to stop you being on your own, now _please_, just come on. You can do this in your own time, not mine." There was a pleading expression on his face now, the need for Oscar to stop being so stubborn and just come outside. Once the morning was over, Virgil knew they would be able to go their separate ways for the rest of the day. He just had to survive for a few hours.

"Please?" he asked quietly, managing to remove the annoyance from his voice and just leaving it polite and restrained.

"No," Oscar drawled, beginning to walk away in the opposite direction. Virgil closed his eyes, determined to get a hold on himself and handle this reasonably, the way he knew Scott would. But when he once more looked towards Oscar and saw the overconfident swagger in his walk, Virgil lost it.

"Fine! I don't care! I don't want you around anyway if you are going to be like that. Go that way, get into trouble, I don't care! You aren't taking me down with you though!" Virgil glared at Oscar's back, but when the boy gestured something rude over his shoulder, the young Tracy turned on his heel and walked away. He had tried, he really had. It wasn't his fault that Oscar was refusing to be any help at all.

Virgil stormed down the corridor, not noticing the startled look a maid gave him as she came out of one of the rooms. He didn't notice anything, too caught up in his annoyance. Who did Oscar think he was, believing that he could do anything he wanted just because of his name? That was one thing his own father had made a strong impression on his sons about. No special treatment just because he had managed to launch his business more successfully than he originally thought was possible. Whether it was because of Scott and John, and the way they had always been a grounding presence for him, but Virgil had never even _wanted_ to do something like that. He may have only been young, but he had always worked for what he wanted, not just assumed that he would get it.

He was so caught up in his annoyance that he didn't notice he had already reached the beach until suddenly the smooth marble flooring gave way to the rough feeling of sand as he stormed through another door. Coming to a halt, he gasped.

It was beautiful.

There was no other word for it, even if a ten-year-old wouldn't usually call scenery beautiful. But Virgil had always been different, his artistic eye picking out the colourings of something in front of him, planning how he would be able to capture it by his own hand. He knew that John would understand, that his quietest brother had an appreciation of scenes like this. None of the others would. Scott would smile at Virgil's reaction, Alan would copy Scott and Gordon would run straight for the ocean. But for once, he wasn't with his brothers. He was on his own. Alone to appreciate the scene in front of him, and even if Virgil had wanted to hold onto his anger, it simply drained away from him as a small smile lit up his face.

Taking a few steps forward, Virgil bent down and pulled his shoes off, wriggling his toes into the sand and giving a delighted laugh as he did so. Swinging his leg, he kicked up a pile of it, grinning at the sheer simplicity of his actions and feeling as if a great weight was being lifted from his shoulders. Who cared if Oscar went and got himself into trouble? It certainly wasn't Virgil's problem. He had done what he was told, and he had tried to make the other boy listen. Even Scott didn't always succeed in making his brothers listen, so what made them think that Virgil would manage to get through to a boy who clearly wanted nothing to do with him?

A few more steps onto the beach revealed where the class was taking place. Half a dozen children roughly his own age sat in front of easels, grins on their faces that matched Virgil's as he hurried over, worried that he was going to be late. A small girl with long plaits gave him a wide smile and gestured to the board next to her. Feeling himself blush, Virgil returned her smile somewhat nervously and slid into the seat just as the teacher began talking about what they were going to do out there. Virgil's smile only widened as he listened. It was true, the materials they had been provided with didn't quite meet the standard of the art set Scott had bought him for his birthday the year before, but they were better than Virgil could have hoped for, and he found himself almost itching to have a paint brush back in his hand. It had been a long couple of days for him.

He wasn't the only one who was eager to get started. Everyone in the group seemed to share his passion and desire to get painting, and the teacher could clearly sense this. Virgil liked her. She wasn't like the teachers at school, making sure they knew that this was a holiday and they were here to have fun; she wouldn't force them to do anything. But no one even thought about resisting the temptation of the scene in front of them, and silence fell across the group as they all dived into their paints.

With a brush back in his hand once again, a picturesque scene in front of him and no brothers to distract him from his moment, Virgil couldn't keep the smile off his face as he began to work. All thoughts of Oscar were pushed firmly from his mind.

Unfortunately, it wasn't to last.

TBTBTB

The smile was still on Virgil's face three hours later when the class was dismissed. The lady in charge had said that she would put the paintings somewhere safe, and if they couldn't make it to any more of the sessions they were welcome to come and collect them from her anyway. Virgil had no intention of not going again; he had had the best morning for a long time. It was nice to have some time to himself without younger brothers wanting his attention or older ones constantly reminding him to watch out, or do one thing or another. As the class disappeared – the girl with the plaits giving him a hug that had Virgil blushing again – the young Tracy looked around for a moment, almost expecting Scott to appear.

But when he remembered the conversation of that morning, his smile only widened. Not only could he do his own activity, he could walk all the way back by himself as well. He wasn't like Gordon, needing John to come and collect him. He was big enough to do it all by himself, and Virgil felt an irrational surge of pride at that knowledge, especially when parents or older siblings turned up to collect other members of the class. He was grown up; he didn't need his older brothers.

With his spirits high and a bounce in his step, Virgil set off back down the route he had travelled that morning, looking forward to seeing the others and telling them all about his class. He might not _need_ them as such, but that didn't mean Virgil didn't want them around. They had always done things as the five of them, so why should this be any different? The cool hallways seemed almost chilly after the sun of outside and Virgil found himself speeding up, wanting to get back into the warmth of the restaurant rather than the coolness of the corridors with their imposing marble columns. John might have found them fascinating, Virgil just found them creepy.

It was a relief when the restaurant came into view, especially considering he could see the back of Scott's head from across the room. The others had clearly beaten him there, and Virgil grinned as he made his way swiftly across the room. Weaving his way through the other tables, Virgil slowed as he drew near.

Gordon was frowning. That in itself was enough to make Virgil falter for a moment. After being let loose in the pool with no older brothers moaning at him for splashing them, the redhead should have been beaming, talking nineteen-to-the-dozen and not letting anyone else get a word in edgeways as he told them about his morning. Continuing on his way over, Virgil felt the smile slip from his face as John's face also came into view and that brother too did not look happy. Virgil didn't even need to see Alan's face, the way he was leaning into Scott's side with his oldest brother's arm comfortingly around his shoulders, said enough.

"Hey, guys," Virgil said quietly, sliding into a spare seat and glancing quizzically around the table. Gordon simply scowled at him and John sighed heavily, his own gaze flickering to Scott.

"What's wrong?" Following John's gaze, Virgil swallowed hard at the look on his oldest brother's face. It wasn't upset like the rest of the boys, it wasn't even angry. Instead, it was something far worse, something that made Virgil want the ground to just open up and swallow him whole when that look was directed at him. Unfortunately, it seemed like it was this time.

Scott was disappointed.

"I thought I could trust you, Virgil," he said quietly, but Virgil reeled back as if his brother had slapped him. Where had that come from?

"You can!" Deciding to reveal what had happened with Oscar in order to prove just how much his brother could trust him, Virgil opened his mouth again. But before he could say anything, three figures walked up to the table. His father looked furious, Arnold Swinger looked... well, Virgil couldn't quite read the look on the man's face. But it was Oscar who drew his eye. The boy's face was tear-stained and he sniffled pathetically as he leant into his father's side. As soon as he saw Virgil looking, however, he glanced up at his father. Satisfied neither of the adults was looking at him, he smirked at Virgil.

"Virgil. A word." There was the same disappointment in Jeff's voice as in Scott's face, and Virgil felt a rush of annoyance. What right did his father have to be disappointed about anythingwhen he had promised his youngest son a day with him and then let the boy down? Bristling slightly without even knowing what he had done, Virgil stood up again. Both his father and Swinger were moving to one side, Oscar going with them. Realising that they wanted him over there as well, Virgil jumped when Scott rested a hand on his arm.

"Keep your temper, Virg," he muttered softly, clearly having seen the look on their father's face and knowing what the relationship between his dad and his younger brother was like these days. Virgil simply shrugged him off. He wasn't going to promise something when he had no idea what was going on. Instead, he walked over to where his father was waiting for him.

"I thought I could trust you," Jeff said quietly, and the fact that he had heard those particular words for the second time in as many moments made Virgil open his mouth to argue. What were they all talking about? His father cut him off before he could say anything, once more denying his son the chance to voice his confusion.

"Oscar told us how you just left him in the casinos. That you bullied him into going, then simply left him. It was one of the security guards who brought him back to his father and he's been upset ever since. Virgil, I thought I asked you to look after him, not leave him?"

"Hang on!" This time, Virgil ignored Scott's warning words and the look his father was giving him. That was not what happened, not at all! "I didn't force him into going anywhere! Yes, I did leave him, but it didn't happen like that, honest, Dad. He wanted to go to the casinos, I said no. He wouldn't come to the beach with me, he just walked away. I knew you wouldn't be happy if I went there so I went to my class like I planned. It's not my fault he-"

"Virgil..."

Luckily this time, Virgil had the sense to snap his mouth shut just before he finished the end of that sentence, knowing it would probably make him cross a line with his father. The man was looking at him thoughtfully, and unlike in recent weeks, Virgil held his gaze. He knew that he had been acting out of late, but for his father to believe the Swingers' over his own son and claim that he didn't trust Virgil was a step too far for the ten-year-old. If there was one thing he had always wanted to do, it was to make his father look at him the way he looked at Scott - and sometimes even John.

"Please believe me, Daddy. I knew you wouldn't want me to do it, so I didn't. I tried to stop him, said that we weren't allowed, but he didn't listen to me."

Jeff nodded slowly, turning to face Oscar as he did so. For a moment, the other child merely gaped. But then he employed the trick Virgil had been known to use himself more than once. He burst into tears, loud, noisy sobs that had half the restaurant glancing over towards them.

"I was so scared on my own!" he practically yelled. His own father shot him a slightly disapproving look, but then turned to Jeff.

"See what this has done? My son is fragile. He can't be pushed around like that, it upsets him."

Jeff closed his eyes in resignation, and Virgil took a step back. He knew that look, knew what it meant and couldn't believe that his father was about to use it against him. He wanted this business deal, Virgil knew that. But he didn't realise it meant that Jeff would do anything to keep his potential partner happy, even if it meant believing the man over his own son.

"No, Dad! It's not what happened, he's lying!"

"Virgil, who am I supposed to believe?"

"Me! Dad, honest, you have to believe me. I'm telling you the truth..."

"I didn't know anyone; they were all so big..." Oscar wailed, and as the two adults once more glanced towards each other, he shot Virgil a triumphant look as Jeff's shoulders seemed to sag.

"Virgil, apologise."

"No."

"Virgil..." There was a warning note in Jeff's voice now, one that showed how close the man was to full-on anger. Virgil ignored it, however, shaking his head whilst trying to ignore the fact that there were tears in his eyes.

"I'm not telling you again, apologise to Oscar."

"No. Why won't you believe me? Why don't you ever believe me?"

"Virgil!"

"I hate you!" He didn't even stay around to register the shocked and hurt look that appeared momentarily on his father's face before acceptance and a sense of resignation took its place. Virgil, however, was already running. He rushed past his brothers, ignoring John calling his name and pretending that he didn't see Scott hand Alan to John before standing up. He blocked out his father yelling his name angrily and just focused on putting as much space between him and the restaurant as he possibly could. The one thing he couldn't block out was the image of Oscar's smirking face from floating in his vision.

He didn't know, nor particularly care, where his feet were taking him as he ran, but blinked in surprise when he found himself back at the beach. Slowing down to a walk, he angrily scrubbed at his eyes, adamant that he wouldn't cry. But telling himself and actually doing it were two completely different things, and Virgil sniffed quietly even as he walked towards the sea. Pulling off his shoes, he let the sand scrunch in between his toes, taking a deep breath to try and calm himself down again.

"Virgil!" It wasn't the angry shout of his father that caught up with him, it was the concerned one of his oldest brother. But Virgil couldn't face the disappointment coming from Scott as well, nor his brother saying he didn't believe him. That would hurt more than it would coming from their father. Without even glancing back at the older boy, Virgil began to run again.

He had only made it a few steps before a hand latched around his arm, pulling him to a stop. As Scott tried to turn him around, Virgil lashed out and kicked his brother on the shin. Although Scott cursed, he didn't let go, regardless of the fact that his younger brother was pulling against him.

"Let me go, Scott! He's lying! He's a liar and no one believes me! Let go!"

"Stop fighting me, Virg..."

"Let go!"

"Virgil, please! I believe you!"

For a moment, Virgil didn't register his brother's words and tried to continue with his plan to sink his free fist into his brother's stomach. Then he froze as he stared at Scott. Obviously trying to protect himself, Scott closed his hand around Virgil's fist, tugging his brother closer to him.

"I believe you, kiddo," he said softly, and Virgil found himself flushing as a few tears trickled down his cheeks. Scott smiled sympathetically, brushing them away before ruffling Virgil's hair, trying to make him feel better.

"Why doesn't Dad?" Virgil whispered, knowing that Scott would have all the answers. His big brother always had the answers. Scott sighed heavily, wrapping his arm around Virgil and encouraging his brother to lean his head on the older boy's shoulder as he turned them both to face the sea.

"It's not that he doesn't believe you, it's just... he needs this deal, Virg. Meaning he has to keep Swinger happy."

"That's not fair!" Virgil shouted, Scott automatically tightening his grip as he felt Virgil tense against him again, clearly wanting to pull away to continue his tirade. Knowing that he had to stop him before Virgil got carried away, Scott spoke again.

"I know. But you have to understand. Besides, Oscar might think that the adults didn't see the look on his face, but he forgot someone far worse."

"Who?" Virgil asked, a genuine frown on his face as he gazed up at his big brother.

"Me. And John. Never mind fathers, you don't mess with older brothers."

Despite himself, Virgil began to smile as Scott winked down at him. "I'll talk to Dad, I promise. But even if he doesn't back down on this, Oscar won't be able to win."

"Why not? He's already got me into trouble; he's already made Dad hate me."

"Virgil!"

The younger brother was not used to the anger in Scott's tone as his brother whirled him around, crouching down in front of him with his hands on Virgil's shoulders.

"Don't you ever say that again! Or think it. Dad loves you."

"But..."

"Believe me."

Virgil glanced down at the sand, but nodded. He had always believed Scott, why would now be any different. His brother seemed to visibly relax before straightening up again.

"Besides, Oscar doesn't stand a chance. You've got me and John. And Gordon and Allie. He's got no one."

"Really?"

Scott sighed dramatically, rolling his eyes in an elaborate manner that had Virgil grinning, despite himself.

"Have I taught you nothing? No one messes with one of my brothers."

And just like that, Virgil finally accepted Scott's words. How would the other boy stand a chance when it meant going against his brothers?


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you so much once again for all the amazing support, it means the world to me!**

The afternoon went far better than Virgil thought it would have considering the disaster over lunch. Knowing his brother hadn't eaten anything, Scott had managed to find enough change in his pocket to buy them both a burger from the permanent van on the beach. As he munched away, Virgil decided – and declared rather loudly, much to the van owner's delight – that it was far nicer than anything the "fancy restaurant" would have been able to offer him. Scott had rolled his eyes and told his brother to behave, but had a smile on his face. He knew it wasn't really the food, but the fact that he had been the one to buy it.

The brothers were all supposed to be attending other activities in the afternoon, the hotel making sure that any children on the complex were occupied at all times. Scott didn't need to ask why. His father and Swinger were clearly not the only ones here for business, and nothing damaged a hotel's reputation more than having children running around screaming. But after what his brother had been through, the eldest Tracy boy decided that the classes could do without the three elder brothers. He was here to make sure his siblings relaxed and had a good time, something he knew would only be possible at this given time if he was with Virgil.

A quick call to John had informed the second-oldest of the plan and asked if he could drop Alan and Gordon off at the play centre. He had to smirk at hearing Gordon grumbling in the background, knowing that as soon as his little brother saw the sheer size of the centre in question and realised precisely the types of toys they had to offer, his protests would soon be forgotten. John had put up the customary argument about being lumbered with babysitting whilst Scott got to play the hero, but when Alan's worried voice asked if Scott had forgotten him; the older brother was quick to reassure the younger. John didn't complain any more after that, but agreed to meet them on the beach when he had dropped off the "kids." Scott knew full well even as he flipped his phone shut and slid it back into his pocket that that had been for Virgil's sake. The smile on his brother's face as he realised that John wasn't classing him as one of the kids for once caused Scott to mentally thank his immediate younger brother for always knowing the right things to say.

They had walked slowly down the beach, Virgil kicking up the sand and ranting furiously against their father and Oscar whilst splashing through the waves. Scott didn't try and stop him; he knew the younger boy needed to be able to get all of this out his mind if they stood any chance of being able to get through the rest of the holiday. Part of him, however, was privately agreeing. He was fuming at his father and the way the man had just dismissed Virgil's protests about what had happened, fully intending to have a strong word once his younger brothers were in bed. But for now he kept his thoughts to himself, not wanting to fuel Virgil's inferno, letting his younger brother get everything out in the open. Even so, it was a relief when John's figure came running towards them.

Skidding to a stop next to Scott, John bent over. His hands were on his knees as he struggled to regain his breath after his sprint across the beach.

"Sorry that took so long," he panted, cutting through Virgil's mumbles about Oscar, words slipping out that Scott didn't want to know he had even heard, let alone put them in context. "Alan got clingy whilst Gordon wanted to sprint off."

Scott leant forward, giving John's shoulder a squeeze. "Thanks for that, Johnny. Virg here was just demonstrating how eloquent his language is these days and giving me a full account of what precisely is going through his head right now. You'd be impressed, John."

Virgil scowled at Scott's words, glaring at his brother for a moment. "If you don't want me here..." he grumbled, already turning to walk away.

Scott rolled his eyes. He knew his brother had not had a good morning. Hell, he knew Virgil had been struggling for the last six months, their mother's death a constant shadow looming over them all. But it was slightly amusing that already at ten, he was acting far more like a teenager than John was.

"This whole thing is for you, kiddo. Walk away if you want, but don't blame us for it."

Virgil froze, the frown disappearing.

"This is for me?"

"Why wouldn't it be?" John asked, frowning at him quizzically. There had been a real glimmer of hope in Virgil's eyes, as if he couldn't believe they would stay out here for his sake.

"Dunno, just thought..." Virgil's toe scuffed the sand as he refused to meet their eyes. Scott walked forward, placing his hands on Virgil's shoulders and bending down until he was looking his brother in the eye.

"We would do anything for you, Virg. I know you are upset with Dad, and that you haven't had a good morning. We get that, we really do, and we are on your side. If you can stop biting our heads off, we can try and make sure that you at least have a nice time this afternoon."

A flush worked its way up Virgil's neck, but he nodded.

"Sorry," he muttered under his breath, and Scott straightened up, ruffling his little brother's hair as he did so. Virgil scowled, but Scott grinned at the fact that it wasn't the moody pout from before, just a mock pretence.

"C'mon, let's find something to do."

"There's an area of woodland at the far end of the beach," John said softly, and Scott's face immediately lit up.

"Sounds perfect." He and John had often used to sneak out to the woods when they were younger. Well, they had thought they were sneaking, not realising their mother had her eye on them the whole time and was just indulging them. But Virgil had always been too young to come too, and they hadn't gone since she had died. Scott knew it was the type of thing that Virgil was desperate for, a chance to do something with his two older brothers rather than his two younger. The eldest hated it when people looked down on him because of his age, especially considering he knew his normal teenage years were over. With the way Jeff had been acting recently, Scott knew it was all up to him, so to have people mock him made his blood boil. Although they didn't shoulder the same responsibilities, why should his brothers feel any different about how they were treated because of their age?

"Come on, Virg, I'll race you," John announced, and Virgil wasn't the only one who looked surprised. John wasn't exactly known for being the most physical of the brothers, but as he started running off and Virgil's face lit up, Scott smiled. All it took was a nudge in his brother's back and Virgil too started running, yelling to John that he was going to overtake him and the elder of the two would have to suffer for losing to the younger.

As Scott slowly began to walk after them, making sure that he kept them in his eye-line the whole time, the teenager's mind was racing. It was clear that their father was not going to be the one who would make this holiday one to remember - not for the right reasons, anyway. It was going to be up to him once again.

"Oi! Are you coming or not, you slow coach? John has already found the most perfect climbing tree I've ever seen!" Virgil's shout made Scott smile and automatically pick up his pace. If they could have some time as just the three of them, it might be what was needed in order to get the younger two through this holiday. Not to mention Scott wouldn't mind spending some time just mucking around with his brothers rather than constantly looking out for them. When he had chased Virgil out here, he wasn't quite sure of the reception he was going to get or whether Jeff had finally pushed the younger brother too far. It seemed that for now, however, Scott still had the power to make things okay again. Even if it was only for a short while, he could handle that.

TBTB

It was hours later when Scott managed to get his brothers back to the hotel and into the shower in time for them to be clean for dinner. Somehow he didn't think either their father or the restaurant would appreciate the twigs in John's hair or the dirt smudged across Virgil's face. It had been worth it though, especially given the way the two were talking excitedly behind him as he led the way. A vague agreement had been made that they would meet the rest of the family in the foyer and they would all go in together. Not that Scott had told the others this. He didn't want Virgil to start dreading what was coming; he would much rather his brother kept the relaxed attitude he had finally managed to regain.

He could hear Gordon long before he could see him, and couldn't help but smile as John chuckled behind him. Whatever Gordon had spent the afternoon doing, it had clearly been as exciting as his morning. Considering the redhead hadn't been able to tell them all about it over lunch in the way he normally would, Scott knew they were in for an evening of not being able to get a word in edgeways. For the first time in a long while, he was glad about that. It might possibly mean they would be able to get through the meal without an argument taking place.

Turning the corner, he smiled as Alan energetically waved at them. Virgil sucked in a sharp breath as he realised their father was watching them arrive, but John nudged him none too gently, causing him to lose his balance slightly. It was enough of a distraction that Virgil didn't have time to think about what he was going to say to the man after the way he had stormed off earlier. Scott subtly moved in front of him, trying to tell his father not to say anything just by his expression.

The three arrived, Gordon immediately launching himself at John and Alan following suit by hugging Scott. Virgil stood awkwardly off to one side until the youngest brother untangled himself from the oldest and turned to him.

"Don't be sad, Virgy," he announced loudly, chewing his lip in worry before giving Virgil a hug. "Scotty make it all better!"

Smiling at their faith in Scott, Virgil returned the hug, finally meeting Jeff's eye and swallowing hard. Their father didn't look like he knew how to react to Alan's announcement, knowing that it was supposed to be him who was making things better for his son, not his brother.

"Shall we?" Lost for words for once, Jeff nodded his head towards the restaurant. John and Gordon were already beginning to walk off towards it and Scott took Alan's hand, following suit. He kept a close eye on Virgil, but had to admit that he had deliberately tried to land the other two together in order to make them talk. If his father would just apologise, he knew that Virgil was at the age where he forgave as quickly as he angered. Scott might not have forgiven the man for not even contemplating taking Virgil's side over the Swingers', but he knew his brother's happiness came before his own feelings. He would keep quiet if Virgil's smile stayed on his face.

All the same, he wasn't listening as Alan chatted on happily about what he had spent the day doing, but instead kept his ear to the conversation going on behind him. He didn't know what he was going to do if he didn't like what was being said, but knew that he somehow had to try and keep control of the situation. If Virgil ran off upset again, Scott wasn't sure his promises would be enough to make his brother listen, not this time.

They made it the whole way there without anything happening. Jeff enquired as to Virgil's morning - tactfully leaving out Oscar - and Virgil got so swept up with talking about his art, it was as if he had forgotten what had happened afterwards. There was a small wait for a table that could take them all and Scott found himself leaning against one of the pillars, Alan finally going quiet and staring around all the people with wide eyes. As the excitement began to wear off, he yawned, rubbing his eyes slightly. Gordon was still talking nineteen to the dozen, but considering John barely uttered a word anyway, it seemed to work for the pair of them. As John caught Scott's eye over their brother's head, the eldest had to smile. It was clear that the blond was listening to Gordon no more than Scott had been listening to Alan. The pretence, however, was enough to keep Gordon happy. Scott swore the kid would simply talk to himself if there was no one else around.

"... so I need you to take Oscar again tomorrow."

Scott's attention immediately snapped back to his father, his mouth going dry at the look on Virgil's face. The young artist shot his brother an almost pleading expression before turning back to their father.

"Dad, I can't..."

"You can, Virg. You can prove to me that regardless of what happened today, I can trust you. All you have to do is take him to the beach."

"But...but he doesn't want to! It was him who walked off today, Dad, I swear!"

"Virgil." There was a warning note in Jeff's voice now that had Scott taking a step forward, ready to interfere. He didn't know what he was going to say, but there was no way he was about to let this happen, not again.

"No, please, listen to me! I didn't do anything wrong, he was the one who walked off..."

"That's not what he said."

"Why are you believing him?" Virgil shouted, tears in his eyes as he stepped back from Jeff. "I'm your son! I'm the one that you are supposed to believe! I'm the one who was where I should be, not him!"

"And was I supposed to believe you when you said it wasn't you who deliberately disobeyed your grandmother and ran off?"

Virgil flushed, clearly remembering the events from the week before. He had tried to pretend to his father that he had done as he was told all day, regardless of the fact that his angry grandmother had already told his father everything. The ten-year-old, however, had persisted with the lie for as long as he could, not realising that he had just turned his father's worry for him into anger as he dug himself a hole.

"That was different! I wouldn't lie to you about this..."

"Virgil, I don't know what I'm supposed to believe. You know I want to trust you, and I'm giving you the chance to earn that trust tomorrow."

"No." Virgil's voice dropped and he took another step back, shaking his head as he did so. "I'm not having anything to do with him. I don't care if it messes up your business meeting, I just don't care! I am not spending a day with him! Not a morning, not even a minute!"

"Virgil, that is enough." Although Jeff made sure that he kept his voice quiet, clearly aware that a few people on the closer tables had turned to look at them, his anger was more than obvious. "It is about time that you stopped acting like a child."

"News flash, Dad!" Virgil yelled. "I AM a child! Maybe Scott had to grow up to look after us because you wouldn't, but this is how I'm supposed to be acting! You never had an issue with it before when John was my age, but that was because Mom always knew what to say! But you don't have a clue. You don't even notice because you are never home!" There were tears in his eyes as Virgil shook his head at his father, almost as if he couldn't believe this was happening.

"Virg..."

"Scott, stay out of this!" Jeff snapped, lifting a hand to keep his eldest son back. It was almost as if part of him realised that if Scott got involved, he would be out of his depth. It was more than obvious who his sons trusted when it came to sorting out problems - and it was no longer their father.

"Like you do?" Virgil yelled, his anger clearly getting the better of him. "Staying out of it is what you are best at, isn't it, Dad? Just the way you do at home, making sure that you aren't around so then you don't have to deal with anything. At least Scott cares!"

Jeff's face immediately clouded over and Scott shared a long look with John, the latter finally closing his eyes with a groan that managed to stop Gordon talking.

"Go to bed." The order was given in a calm voice, but fury was making Jeff's tone tremble. Virgil seemed to have controlled his tears and was glaring back at his father with equal intensity. Without a word, he turned.

"Wait for me, Virgil."

Jeff blinked as Scott moved past him, almost flinching back at the coldness he could feel coming from the son who normally knew where he was coming from, who would normally sympathise to a certain extent. But this time, he brushed past Jeff as if he wasn't there, not stopping until he rested his hand on Virgil's shoulder. When he turned to face his father, his eyes were like ice. He didn't say anything, but neither did he have to. Slowly, he began steering his brother away.

Jeff made to open his mouth, to demand that Scott came back, but the words died in his throat. John was moving too.

"Nice going, Dad," the blond muttered, his voice sounding so heavy for his age. He, too, brushed past his father and went to join his brothers. Jeff automatically took Alan's hand.

"Come on, boys," he said to his two remaining sons. If the older ones wanted to play it that way...

"No!"

Gordon's determined voice cut through Jeff's mind like a knife and he pulled away, running after the others and immediately standing in front of Virgil, his arms folded across his chest and a scowl on his face.

"You're not allowed to upset my brother. Only I can do that!"

Jeff didn't notice the way John's lips twitched slightly at his brother's words, his hand going to rest on his little brother's shoulder the way Scott was doing for Virgil.

"An' me! Me too!" Alan tugged against Jeff's hand and for a moment, the father just wanted to hold on tight. But slowly, he met Scott's eyes again. Where they were cold before, they were now swimming with emotion at the fact that his brothers had joined him in defending Virgil. What could Jeff say to loyalty like that? Looking at the floor, he slowly let go of Alan's hand, letting the little boy run to his brothers. Scott immediately took Alan's hand and turned Virgil away, walking them down the corridor. John took hold of Gordon's hand, following them.

Jeff watched them for as long as he could, rooted to the spot. He felt like he couldn't breathe, let alone say anything or attempt to go after them.

"Sir? How many is the table for?"

Jeff blinked, certain that he had seen Virgil looking back at him for a split second, before turning to face the waitress who was trying to talk to him. With a heavy heart, he sighed, risking one glance back towards the corner that his boys had vanished around.

"One."

TBTBTB

Scott stood with one leg bent at right angles, propping him up against the wall as he took in the sight before him. It was late, way past everyone's bedtimes, even his. Yet he had no desire to get any sleep. Virgil had immediately locked himself in the bathroom when they had reached Scott and John's room, the former only realising then that they had no key to the other room. John had grabbed Gordon's hand, whispering something in his ear, and the two had vanished without a word. John may have only been young, but Scott trusted him to look after Gordon and not get them into trouble.

When they had returned half an hour later, Gordon with red eyes, Scott had immediately been concerned. Until the pair of them had burst out laughing, pulling out food from behind their backs. Scott hadn't asked, he didn't want to know. But when Alan had moved forward, eyes wide with awe, John had explained how they had made up some elaborate story about their father going out for the evening whilst they had locked themselves out. When Gordon had turned on the water-works, the receptionist hadn't been able to deny them and had immediately given them the pick of room service, free of charge.

Scott was glad. It was hard enough having Alan tired and Virgil upset without them all being hungry. To start with, he didn't even think that food was going to tempt Virgil out of the bathroom. When he had eventually emerged, his eyes redder than Gordon's had been, no one said anything. Gordon simply gave him a hug, handed him some food and then threw a pillow at him. Virgil might not have responded, but John had. When Alan joined in as well, Virgil had been unable to resist and Scott was just thankful that they had managed to make their brother smile again, even if it had been left to him to clean up the pillows.

Now, however, exhaustion had gotten the better of three out of the four of his brothers. John was sprawled across his bed, Alan curled up with his head on his chest. Gordon was practically on top of his brother's legs from where he had climbed onto the bed as well, but all three looked so peaceful that Scott hadn't the heart to move them. Virgil had refused to go to bed claiming that he wasn't tired, and Scott hadn't pushed him. The last thing he wanted was to be accused of acting like their father, constantly trying to tell Virgil what to do. The young boy had instead just curled up in the big chair in the corner of the room. The lamp had reflected his tear-filled eyes, and when Scott had wrapped his arms around his brother, Virgil had burst into tears.

Eventually, the emotions had got the better of him and he had fallen asleep. Using his own duvet, Scott draped it over Virgil and left him on the chair, knowing that he would need all the sleep he could get. The oldest brother, however, was not able to get the same rest. He had heard his father return about an hour ago, knowing by the time that Jeff had not come straight from dinner, but instead had gone somewhere else to try and take his mind off matters. For a moment, Scott had mirrored Virgil's thoughts in thinking that the man was brilliant at avoidance, but pushed the thought aside. Anger was not going to help him here - or his brothers.

More than once he had heard his father's door open and a creak of footsteps outside his own door, knowing that Jeff was clearly trying to work up the courage to knock and find out what was happening. Part of Scott knew that he should be touched that his father trusted him enough to look after the others so well, even if he was only fifteen. But once again, that took him back to the avoidance. He had had no choice but to learn after their mother's death, it wasn't as if Jeff was around to notice whether they were up in time for school or whether Gordon had swim practice that night. He had just assumed that Scott had everything under control. Unfortunately for Scott, he did have. It was great for his brothers, meaning they could carry on with the same routine they had had for years. But it did mean their father never found out who it was taking control, who it was making sure things ran so smoothly. It was a vicious circle: Scott could refuse to take control and force the matter on Jeff, but that would mean chaos for his brothers. Or he could keep them happy and make it so their father never realised how much he wasn't around. Like always, his brothers' happiness came first.

It had to be close to midnight now, and Scott's head was killing him. Still, he couldn't bring himself to go to bed, not with all the thoughts buzzing around his mind. Pushing himself away from the wall, he moved towards the bathroom, intending to get a glass of water to try and take the pounding sensation away. But just as he flicked on the light, a shadow fell across the door again. Scott froze, biting his lip for a long moment as he looked back at his sleeping brothers. He owed it to them to try to make this right. At this given moment in time, he wasn't sure how it could get much worse.

With a sigh, he turned the bathroom light off again, grabbed his jacket, pocketed the key, and opened the door. Jeff had just made to go into his own room, still not being able to face his sons, but jumped in surprise when he heard the door.

"Scott? I thought you would be asleep."

"The guys are," Scott responded quietly, pulling the door shut behind him and making sure he kept his voice low and controlled. He wasn't sure how much he trusted his father's temper right now.

"Why aren't you?" Jeff blinked at the long, sorrowful look his eldest child gave him. As he had thought about John hours earlier, he couldn't help but note that Scott looked far older than his fifteen years.

"We need to talk, Dad." Scott said firmly. The note in his voice clearly indicated that he wasn't going to take no for an answer.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you so much once again for all of the amazing support, it means the world. Special thank you to those who I couldn't respond directly to.**

Scott shivered slightly in the night air, glancing up towards the heavens as he did so and seeing the full moon looking back at him. His father had tried to motion for Scott to go into his room to talk, but the teenager had shaken his head. He needed to get out; he needed to feel like he had somewhere to run if he needed it. Not that he would - ever since taking on more and more responsibilities for his younger brothers, he had learnt how to talk to adults, how to stop them looking down on him when he was the one to drop Alan and Gordon off each morning and pick them up each afternoon. But he had never tried those new found skills out on his father, and the eldest son couldn't remember the last time he had felt this nervous.

"Here."

Turning his head from the sky and back down to reality, Scott saw that Jeff had taken off his jacket, offering it out to his son.

"I'm fine."

"Just take it."

Scott made to argue further, but simply sighed, taking the jacket from his father. What was the point of starting an argument over something so trivial when he had other things on his mind? Even so, Scott hesitated for a moment before sliding into it. The coat practically swamped him, despite the fact that Scott was well-built for his age. For a moment, the teenager just clutched it around him, suddenly feeling young, small and vulnerable compared to his father. The man who could handle everything, sort out any situation. What had Scott got to complain about when the man was working 24/7 trying to make sure they could have everything they'd ever wanted? But then Virgil's face swam before his vision, his eyes awash with tears and the sting of betrayal that only a ten-year-old could feel, and Scott felt his resolve harden. He didn't want this talk for himself, but for his brothers. He had to make their father understand that the boys were hurting.

"Thanks."

"Scott, I..."

"Don't." Suddenly feeling how late it was, Scott wearily ran a hand over his face. All he wanted to do was curl up in his bed and sleep, preferably for a very long time. But he knew that even that wouldn't happen. Gordon was such an early riser and it would be up to Scott to sort him out. It was always up to him...

"Scotty, what is it?"

The teenager hadn't even been aware that his thoughts were being reflected in his face, nor the fact that his eyes were beginning to water slightly. Shaking his head, he didn't look at his father.

"Nothing, I'm just tired."

"Son?" There was a note to Jeff's voice that made Scott stop as they walked through the gardens of the hotel, just the moonlight and a few lamps lighting their way. As soon as he stopped moving, Jeff reached out, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You're the one who said we needed to talk. Don't shut me out now."

"Like you shut us out?"

Jeff withdrew his hand as if Scott had bitten him, and the boy flushed, turning his head away, unable to meet Jeff's gaze. "Sorry, I didn't mean..."

"Yes, you did."

Scott had been half-expecting anger to lace his father's tone, but that was not what he got. Instead, there was an incredible sadness he didn't think he had ever heard from the man before, Jeff's voice sounding suspiciously close to cracking. Without another word, he gently took his son's elbow and guided Scott over to a bench. Scott let it happen, knowing that he had to make this right for his brothers. He had to stop Virgil getting upset and John getting angry. He had to let them be children again and, as hard as he might have been trying, he knew the only person with that power was their father. At the jerk of his father's head, Scott sat down on the bench.

"Talk to me, Scotty."

For a moment, Scott had to fight the urge to hide everything inside. His father was right, he had been the one to say that he wanted to talk, he had to put some effort in here. But it was as though he had spent so long hiding how he was feeling in order to make sure the others were happy that he had forgotten how to let his defences down.

"Why didn't you believe Virgil?" Deciding to go for a blunt approach, Scott stared down at his feet as he waited for Jeff's response.

"It's not that, it's just... business is... you'll understand when..."

"Don't you dare!" His voice was quiet, and this time, Scott could hear his own anger as he cut through his father's stuttered response. "Don't you dare say that I'll understand when I'm older. I am older, Dad. _You_ made sure of that when you refused to be there for the kids. We can be out here right now because I trust John, my thirteen-year-old kid brother, with the guys. It shouldn't be like that! It should be _you_ beginning to trust _me_with them for an evening. You don't even care!"

"Do you really think that?"

Scott didn't realise he had stood up until he turned to face his father, the sadness now reflected in the man's eyes as well as his voice. He had no right being sad! Scott wanted him to be angry, to shout back at him, not just look so defeated. It was so unlike the father Scott remembered before their mother's death that he just wanted to shake the man to get him to snap out of it.

"No," he admitted, knowing it was the truth regardless of what he had just said. "But Virgil does. Why didn't you believe him?"

"Oscar came to us upset, one of the security guards having found him by the casinos. Virgil was nowhere to be seen, despite the fact that I asked him to look after Oscar. What was I to think?"

"You could have heard his side of the story. Then you would have believed him."

"Then I _might _have believed him," Jeff countered. Scott felt his anger disappearing as quickly as it had emerged, sinking back down onto the bench. It was late and he was tired. Yet somehow, he knew this conversation had to happen now. "How many times has Virgil sworn that something was true and yet he had actually done the opposite and didn't want to get caught? Especially of late?"

"Mom would have believed him," Scott muttered, and he immediately felt his father stiffen next to him. For a moment, he thought that he had just blown any chance of having a conversation, that the man was going to close up on him and refuse to say another word. What he wasn't expecting was for a hand to rest on his shoulder.

"Not necessarily. She too would have weighed up how believable their stories were. Or have you forgotten who believed you and who didn't when you fell off your bike? If I remember correctly, your mother was the one who was adamant you had gone into the woods when we told you not to and I..."

"You believed me when I said I hadn't," Scott muttered softly, smiling gently at the memory.

"I want to believe him, Scott, trust me, I do. But Virgil hasn't exactly been making it easy for me lately."

"You haven't been making it easy for him either, Dad."

"I know." The hand on his shoulder tightened before disappearing. Scott thought that was it for contact and so was certainly not expecting the arm to suddenly drape across the back of his shoulders. For a moment, the fifteen-year-old tensed, not sure what he should do. His father clearly felt his tension and made to pull away, and Scott panicked. For a wild moment, he thought that if his Dad let go then, he would just disappear, and before he could stop himself, he had sagged into the embrace.

"I'll make it better, Scott, I promise. I'll make it up to you."

"It's not me that you need to make it up to, Dad. Believe it or not, I get what this business deal means to you, and I think John does too. The others don't. All Virgil sees is that you don't want to spend any time with him and he thinks you won't believe a word he says. Gordon acts like he doesn't care, but there was hurt in his eyes tonight. And Alan doesn't know why you won't play with him anymore. The amount of times he has thrown something at John for not being you..."

If Scott had been looking at his father at that moment, he would have seen Jeff's eyes close with resignation at the realisationthat he had perhaps distanced himself too much. All he had wanted to do was make sure they had the best, that they had every opportunity to do whatever it was that they wanted with their lives. There was also another idea in the pipeline, something that he needed money – and lots of it – for, but they were not to know about that. Not until he could make it more than just an idea jotted down on a piece of paper. But it seemed that he was beginning to lose touch with his children, especially given Scott's outburst. His boy had obviously been hurting for a while. Scott was not the one to have an explosion of temper unnecessarily - that was normally Virgil's role.

"He's worse than John was at that age." Jeff didn't mean to speak out loud, but Scott twisted from where he had been leaning against his father and couldn't help but grin.

"Was? John still is."

"He doesn't still..."

"Yep. Out there every night he thinks I'm not in my room. You can hear his window creak from the other end of the house and he always uses the piece of roof just above my window, how he thinks I don't notice I don't know. But he's kinda good, Dad. I've never heard him slip, not once. And he gets peace from it... so I just sort of... leave him to it. Just don't tell him I know, I don't want him to lose that."

Jeff shook his head sadly. Scott was right. It should have been him that his boys were hiding their misbehaviour from, not their brother.

"Scott?"

"Mmm?"

"Answer me this truthfully. Do you like looking out for them?"

Scott sat up straighter from where he had been lounging, his hands twisting awkwardly in the end of Jeff's sleeves as he tried to work out how to answer this. Did he? Part of him knew that he did, knew that now he had come this far, it was almost as if he didn't want to stop. But he also knew that he couldn't be there for them in the same way as his father, that some things simply did need an actual adult, no matter how much Scott acted like one these days.

"Yes. At first, it... it kept my mind off things. I couldn't think about the fact that there was going to be no one home when I got in from school if I had to think about collecting Gordon and Alan and making sure Virgil got on the right bus. I didn't notice the empty seats if I was running around after them, helping Virgil with his homework, Alan with his puzzle. By the time I realised why I was doing it so much, you could say that I had gotten used to it. It was pretty obvious that you weren't going to snap out of the work-obsessed world you had fallen into any time soon, and they needed something stable. I was the only one who could offer that."

Scott couldn't meet his father's gaze. When Jeff had asked, he had wondered momentarily if the man had found out about his slipping grades, or the fact that he was now known for skipping a class or two if one of the others needed to be somewhere. But glancing at him out of the corner of his eye, he knew his father was simply curious. He had been distant for so long now, it was as if he didn't know his son.

"You're right. You have grown up. I'm sorry, Scott. I didn't think... You weren't the only one throwing yourself into something because you didn't want to see the empty spaces. Does it mean anything to you that I was trying to do it for you and your brothers?"

"Dad, like I said before, I understand what you are doing. But the others – they are too young. They don't understand this business stuff. It's like..." Scott's voice dropped to a whisper, unable to believe that he was about to say what he had been thinking for the last year. "It's like we lost you as well the day we lost Mom. They never see you, you're never the one they can go to with their problems, and they don't understand why."

"Scott, I..."

Scott heard the slight break in his father's voice and that was all that was needed for his to go. He didn't realise how much he had been holding things back until he had been given the chance to talk.

"Don't." This time, his voice completely cracked and Scott was holding back tears before he knew what was happening. "Don't break on me now, Dad. Not the one time I actually need you. Not the one time I'm relying on you to be the strong one." He was crying before he had finished the sentence, everything he had been holding back since the day his mother died deciding to come flooding out now.

His brothers had cried for days after the death, even more so after the funeral. Scott knew that Virgil still had nightmares about everyone else leaving him and it was why John took to the roof, seeking sanctuary in his beloved stars. Gordon had explosions of temper in a way he had never done before, often getting into fights at school. Alan was doing better now, his young age giving him an advantage over the rest, but even he still had moments of being exceedingly clingy. Everyone who noticed just smiled sympathetically, seeing them as the children who had lost their mother and were struggling to cope. But Scott had never showed any outward signs that he wasn't coping either; he had kept it all inside in order to make sure his brothers were happy.

But right now... knowing that his father was there and was listening was almost too much for him. He had spent so long holding it in, and as Jeff tightened his grip around his shoulders, Scott sagged completely, feeling the tears running down his face.

"Sorry, I just... it's... sorry..."

"Shh." Jeff held Scott closer whilst the teenager tried to control himself again. He didn't want to give in; he knew that he wanted to stay strong. Now was neither the time nor the place, but at least his father would know that things weren't as well as they seemed.

"Dad?"

"Yes, son?"

"You'll spend time with them, won't you? I don't mean when we get home, I mean now. Grandma wants this break to make us all spend time together. I know how important this deal is to you, but..."

"I will, Scott." Jeff's words were simple and strong, and Scott found that he believed him. He had to. He had been let down so many times over the last year, had had to hide so much disappointment. Normally, he would just agree and not hold his breath, knowing that his brothers would be upset and he would be the one to offer them reassurances that he didn't believe himself. But now they were out here, actually having this conversation, he knew that he had to start believing. If he didn't believe his father when he said it like this, would he ever trust the man again?

"I'll make it better, I promise."

"Isn't that nice? Do you think that I could take that down as an official quote, or do you have something else up your sleeve there, Mr Tracy? How about you, young Scott? Anything you would like to add to your father's comment?"

Scott jumped, automatically moving closer to his father as the voice came floating out of the darkness. Jeff stiffened, climbing to his feet and pulling Scott up after him. But his son noticed the way his father stepped forward, pushing him behind him.

"Show yourself!" he called into the darkness, one hand sliding into his trouser pocket. Scott watched his hand feel for a moment, before suddenly realising what the man was looking for. He let his own hand drift into the jacket pocket, pulled out his father's phone and pressed it into Jeff's hand. Before anything else could be said, a figure stepped out from the bushes that had been lining the path, almost directly opposite the bench.

"I'm right here. And just got the most wonderful storythere. My readers are going to love it. The great Jeff Tracy, a failure of a father."

Scott scowled, making to take a step forward, but his father pushed him back again.

"Do you have a name?"

Scott had to admit that he was impressed by how calm his father was sounding, and knew that this was the side of the man that Swinger would be dealing with. This wasn't the father, this was the businessman. Despite Jeff not being around the boys much of late, Scott knew that he had never truly seen Jeff in this mode.

"Mark Cowlishaw. I work for the New York Times, and they are just dying to do a story on you, Mr Tracy. Zero to hero and all that. But judging from what I've just heard, it's all a bit of a front, this happy family malarkey, isn't it? What do you say, Scott? Want to take a walk and tell me all about the old man? Or shall I ask your brothers? John's possibly too quiet, but Virgil has a bit of a temper..."

This time, Jeff was forced to grab Scott by the arm. It was only then he realised quite how much his fifteen-year-old son had grown. Last time he had been forced to restrain Scott, he had been able to do it with one hand whilst focusing on something else at the same time. But his son was not five any more, and the father was forced to actually use both hands to pull Scott back when the boy brushed past him.

"Leave it!"

"He..."

"Leave it, I'll handle it."

"Dad..."

"Scott."

His father's tone was enough and Scott let the man push him back once again. He could see the tension in Jeff's shoulders and knew the man was just as angry as he was. In that one simple sentence, the man had revealed that he knew rather a lot about their family. The idea that someone knew enough about his brothers to get close to them caused Scott to growl slightly. Having looked after them for the last year by himself, the idea that someone had been watching them without him realising made his blood boil.

"...but still clearly a father in control. Is that because you respect the man, or because you are afraid of him? Come on, Scott, I just need one quote..."

"Mr Cowlishaw..."

"Call me Mark. Can I call you Jeff?"

"No. Mr Cowlishaw, I suggest that you leave right now and do not return, or I shall call security."

"It's a public place, Jeff. I have as much right to be here as you do."

"And how do you think the hotel will take having a reporter on their premises considering some of the people staying here right now? I mean, compared to some of the names behind the doors in that building, I'm nothing. Who is a Tracy compared to some of them?"

"Are you threatening me?"

"Consider it a friendly warning."

Scott could only watch, open-mouthed, as his father spoke. No wonder he seemed to be rising through the business world faster than his son could get his head around the idea if this was how he dealt with potential partners or opponents.

"Stay away from my sons."

"I'm not quite sure you can stop me, Jeff." Cowlishaw was looking casually at his nails as he spoke, but his gaze did flicker up to meet Jeff's head-on, a clear challenge being sent out. "You see, you're not always around for those boys of yours, and their activities do take them all over the hotel grounds. It's a big place. I might happen to bump into one of them now and again."

Scott lost it. He didn't even know what he was thinking, what could possibly happen, but he knew that he couldn't just stand there and listen to this man basically threaten to follow his little brothers around until he got something for his story. Especially considering the scene that had unfolded over dinner and how vulnerable Virgil was feeling right now. All it would take would be one word and everything Scott had been trying to fix over the last year would be torn wide open again. But this time, he knew it would be out there for the whole world to see and there would be no escaping from it. For the first time ever, he truly understood why his father had always told them to walk away from reporters, to never make a comment, no matter how angry they were.

But that advice seemed to almost go out of his head as Cowlishaw continued to ramble on about how he was going to make sure that he got his story, not seeming to really care that Jeff was already beginning to press buttons on his cell. This time, the father could not move quickly enough to stop Scott, and by the time the teenager had been pulled back, Scott had a stinging fist and Cowlishaw had a slightly bleeding nose. Despite knowing it had been the wrong way to handle it, Scott couldn't help but smile. All that built-up frustration all day... that had been just what he had needed. Jeff turned to face him, eyebrows raised. Scott shrugged apologetically, but felt his grin widen at the fond twinkle in his dad's eye.

"I'll press charges," Cowlishaw spat, one hand wiping across his nose whilst he glared at Scott. Having dealt with enough people mocking him for one thing or another – his wealth, his age – Scott simply looked impassively back, one eyebrow raised slightly as if daring the man to try something. Jeff dropped a hand onto his shoulder, and Scott knew that it was partly a comforting gesture and partly a warning.

"Against a minor? Who you have spent the evening harassing and upsetting emotionally by threatening to harass his younger brothers?" The cool, business-like voice was back again, and Scott suddenly felt a rush of pride in his father. He knew that Jeff had not been coping well with Lucy's death, knew the man was more torn up than even his sons were. But yet, right now, when Scott needed him the most, he was there. Not only was he actually around for once, but he was handling a situation Scott knew was well beyond his capability. Judging by the murderous glare that Cowlishaw shot him, the reporter clearly knew that Jeff knew how to handle this.

"I will have my story."

"And I will have my lawyers fighting you ever step of the way. Misquoting, invasion of privacy, harassment of minors..." The father sighed, shaking his head. "Go home, Cowlishaw. Go back to your wife and kids, if you have them. Go back to New York, go back to reporting on the traffic. Just stay away from my family." Putting a little pressure on Scott's shoulder, Jeff steered his son away, walking back towards the hotel. Only when they had turned a corner and Cowlishaw's curses could no longer be heard did Scott realise that he was shaking slightly.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah." It was almost a breathless answer to his father's question, and Scott wasn't sure whether it was adrenaline, emotions or the lateness of the hour. "Dad, you kicked his ass!"

Jeff rolled his eyes and reached out a hand, ruffling Scott's hair in a way he hadn't done for a long time.

"You weren't so bad yourself, kiddo. Do you have any idea how much I wanted to do what you did? Only promise me that you won't do it again? He can't press charges against you, you are too young, but I don't like this situation. Avoid him if you can, and I'll make sure that your brothers know to stay away from him.

"What? What is it?" As Jeff had been speaking, a large grin had spread across Scott's face even as they made their way into the lobby.

Scott didn't answer for a moment, waiting until they were climbing the stairs before speaking.

"You said that _you'd_ tell them to stay away," he replied simply. For a split second, Jeff looked like he was going to question why that was gettingsuch a reaction, but then he smiled.

"I promised that I would make things better. That starts now, Scott. I can't make up for what I have done, the responsibilities that I have landed on you, but I can try and make sure that I don't do it again. What do you say, give your old man a second chance?"

Scott looked up, wanting nothing more than to scream _yes_. But just like everything else that had happened over the last year, he knew that it was not his decision to make.

"If John and Virgil can accept that, and you can prove to them that things will be different, then yeah. Guess I can deal." He smiled at his father, reaching out a hand to enter his room. But Jeff shook his head, pulling him forward a couple more steps.

"You stay in my room tonight; you need some sleep. I'll watch the boys. I know how early Gordon gets up, and you look like you could use a lie-in. Don't worry about breakfast if you don't want it, just make sure you get some rest." Jeff laughed at the completely shocked look on Scott's face as he handed him the key to his room, leaving his hand held out for Scott's own key. After a moment, the teenager handed it over, his mind clearly trying to process what was happening. Before he could speak, Scott suddenly yawned.

"Get some sleep, Scotty, it's been a long night. I've got this one."

"Virgil doesn't like getting too hot and Alan..."

"...always sleeps better hugging something." Jeff smiled gently. "I may have failed you over the last year, but I am still your father, Scott."

"Sleep well, Dad." Scott had opened his mouth to apologise, but then realised he had nothing to apologise for. Part of him had forgotten that Jeff would know about what they liked, even if he hadn't been around lately and his dad didn't look like he was angry. For a moment, he could only stand there and watch as Jeff let himself into the room where all of his brothers were sleeping, before finally bringing himself to move away.

Jeff had been right about one thing. It had indeed been a very long night, and Scott barely even toed off his shoes before crashing down on the bed. Tugging a pillow closer and somehow getting himself under the covers, he was asleep before he knew it.


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you so much once again for all of the support, especially those I can't respond directly to. Your reviews always make my day.**

Scott awoke with a jolt, something filtering through to his sub-consciousness. He couldn't hear anything. No brother breathing, no brother _arguing_ for that matter. Jerking upright, the teenager stared around him for a moment before flopping back into the pillows, yawning and running his hand through his hair. No wonder it was so quiet, he was still in his father's room on his own. For a moment, he just lay where he was, smiling slightly. There was a trickle of sun creeping through the thick curtains, and Scott could tell from just one glance that it was reasonably late. Not late enough that his morning was gone, but far later than he would have been able to sleep in if he had still been with his brothers.

"I want to take it!"

"Shh, you'll wake him up."

"S'heavy. Daddy, can't reach..."

Scott's smile widened as he heard the failed attempts at whispering outside the door. He should have known the others would be up and about, but judging by Alan's words, their father was with them. He was actually being a dad for once. Suddenly, Scott frowned, almost jumping out of bed. His father had an early morning meeting, Scott was sure he had overheard him talking about it the day before. There was a rattling at the handle as someone clearly tried to work out how to open the door whilst doing something else, and Scott crossed the room. Yanking open the door, he nearly ended up with Gordon on top of him. It was clear the redhead had been about to run at the door in an attempt to open it and yet now found that there was a brother in its place instead. They were all there, Virgil and John standing slightly further back as it was clear Gordon and Alan had wanted to take the lead with this one. John smirked when he saw the evidence that Scott had only just woken up - the sleep-tussled hair and bare feet gave that one away.

"Breakfast!" Alan declared happily, watching as Scott set Gordon back on his feet once more and turned his attention to his youngest brother. Alan had a glass of juice clutched in both hands, which he offered to Scott with a wide smile. Taking it with a grin of his own, Scott stepped back in order to usher his herd of brothers into the room. Virgil practically flung a tray at him on the way past, but still Scott was smiling. It hadn't been done with the bitterness of Virgil's earlier moods, but more with the attitude of him not understanding why he had to get up in order to let Scott have a lie-in. Alan clambered up on the bed, immediately beginning to build a pillow castle as Gordon scrambled up beside him. For someone so energetic, he was remarkably calm as he showed his younger brother a better way to go about the construction process. Scott caught John's eye and smiled. They were making a decent big brother out of him after all.

"You should eat before it gets even colder than it already is," Jeff said quietly, shutting the door behind him and coming to sit at the desk in the room.

"Dad, shouldn't you..." Scott glanced around, dropping his voice to a whisper. He didn't want to upset his brothers when it was clear they were enjoying the time with their father. "Shouldn't you be in a meeting about now?"

"Postponed until later this morning," Jeff said so casually that Scott froze halfway through taking a bite, lowering the cold toast in shock. His father caught his expression and grinned, although both flinched slightly as Virgil flung back the curtains to let the morning sun come flooding into the room. It was certainly a beautiful day. "Don't look at me like that, Scott. I meant what I said last night. You were right, I haven't been handling this well, and I know I can't even begin to make it up to you. Nor can I just turn this trip back into a holiday. I need this deal. But I can at least make sure that I have breakfast with you boys."

"I had waffles, Scotty!" Alan had clearly got bored playing with the pillows and had slithered back off the bed. Scott hadn't even noticed him move until suddenly, there was a small pair of hands clutching at his leg and looking up at him.

"Did you?" Scott pretended to be surprised and awe-struck as he traded a grin with his father even as Alan nodded seriously.

"So did Gordy, but he put _loads_of syrup on his and made it yucky."

"No, that's the best way." Gordon had obviously overheard the conversation and decided that if it was going to be about him, he might as well join in. Jeff pulled Alan onto his lap and Scott couldn't hide the smile at seeing the way his brother automatically looped his arms around his father's neck and hugged him tightly.

"What is it?"

Apparently his smile had indeed been out there for everyone to see. Scott shrugged, grinning as he glanced down at his breakfast again.

"Just haven't seen that for a while," he muttered, not being sure how Jeff would take it. When he finally looked back up, his father's expression had softened and his eyes almost had misted over. They met eyes for a second, then both hastily looked away again. Gordon had moved on now the conversation had changed and was pestering John for something. As Alan began telling Jeff a story about something he had done the day before, Scott put his plate down and stood up, crossing the room.

"Virg?" His brother was just standing at the window, his back to the rest of the family, not seeming to notice the conversations going on around him. Scott couldn't help but feel worried. It wasn't him that his father needed to make it up to; Scott knew how hurt Virgil had been over the man's refusal to believe him before.

"Mm?"

Scott frowned. Normally, even if he was in a mood, his biggest brother was able to get through to the ten-year-old, but he had barely been acknowledged this time. Coming to stand next to him, Scott glanced out of the window, trying to see what Virgil was watching. When he realised there was nothing there, Scott bit his lip. He didn't know what had gone on that morning and could only hope that John had been able to keep their brother at least civil.

"You okay?"

"Mm..."

"Virgil?" Scott let his hand drop onto his brother's shoulder, determined to somehow get through to the younger boy. Out of all the brothers, Virgil was the one to bear a grudge recently, and he knew that one breakfast would not make up for his father's behaviour over the last year. "Look at me."

"Mm?"

"Virg, there is an orange cow behind you."

"M...what?"

Scott smirked as Virgil finally turned to face him. He always managed to get through to him somehow.

"What are you talking about, Scott?"

"What are you doing, kiddo?" Scott countered, wondering what it was that had Virgil so distracted. He didn't seem to be upset about anything, which seemed to make a nice change lately. Yet he had clearly been far away.

"Oh, just thinking. If you could get the right brush stroke, you could really capture the way that the sun reflects on the water and do a really cool mirror-image thing."

Scott blinked, then grinned. It had been a long time since he had heard Virgil casually talking about his artwork, thinking through ideas. He knew that his brother had been painting - almost frantically - since their mother's death, but he hadn't truly heard him talk about it. It was as if Virgil was keeping all of his emotions inside and then just flinging them at the canvas when no one was looking. Considering he hadn't let even Scott have a look at what he had been doing lately, the oldest brother was concerned over what images those talented hands had been creating. When Virgil spoke about his artwork, he sounded far older than ten. He knew what he was talking about and he was good at it. He also knew he was good at it. Not in the arrogant way that Gordon knew he was good at swimming, but in a quietly confident manner that meant he wouldn't let anyone talk down to him about it.

"You okay, Virg?" Scott watched as Virgil twisted his head, glancing at their father. He bit his lip slightly before sighing and nodding.

"I think so. I thought something was wrong this morning when he came down to breakfast with us. Was that wrong of me, Scott? I automatically thought that something must have gone wrong in order for Dad to want to spend any time with us."

Scott sighed, giving his brother's shoulder a squeeze before turning his own attention to the horizon.

"No. He hasn't been around lately, and you and he haven't exactly had the best of relationships, especially if last night was anything to go by." Scott felt Virgil tense under his hand and automatically tightened his grip, making sure that Virgil knew he was not finished. He was trying to avoid tempers being sparked off, not making himself the match that set off the explosion. "But he knows this, Virg. And he is trying; he promised me that he would try and make things better. Can you promise that you will at least give him the chance?"

"Hey!" Virgil protested, folding his arms across his chest and glaring at his big brother. Scott could tell it was one of mock annoyance rather than truly being irritated though. "Gordon's the one that almost started the food fight over breakfast, not me."

Scott let out a dramatic groan.

"Just can't cope without me, can you?" He grinned down at Virgil, only to feel his smile slip slightly as he caught sight of Virgil's face. The boy's own smile had disappearedand he glanced back out of the window, clearly not wanting to look Scott in the eye. "What? Virg, what is it?"

"You're right, I don't think we can. But isn't it supposed to be Dad that we can't cope without? And yet... Scott, I almost don't care whether he is here or not. But if you weren't..." Virgil's voice trailed off, the ten-year-old clearly not wanting to finish that sentence.

Scott spun his brother around to face him, placing both hands on his shoulders and forcing his brother to look at him.

"I'm always going to be here for you, Virg. You know that, right?"

Virgil nodded glumly, picking idly at his sleeve and refusing point blank to look Scott in the eye. The older brother caught the younger's chin in his hand, titling Virgil's head until he had no choice but to look at him. "You know, right?" he repeated firmly, suddenly worried that his brother might not think that. Virgil held his gaze for a moment, before smiling softly.

"I know."

"Good. Now, why didn't you make the Terrible Two bring me these waffles I'm hearing so much about rather than cold toast?"

"Blame John?" Virgil said innocently, a twinkle in his eye that made Scott grin. He reached out and ruffled Virgil's hair, immediately causing his brother to protest and Scott to laugh.

"We're going to be okay, kid," Scott said reassuringly, letting his arm settle across Virgil's shoulder as he turned him to face out of the window again. "Now, how about you tell me about this painting idea you are having, I'll pretend to understand and then we'll both jump on John?"

Virgil's grin was answer enough for the oldest brother.

TBTBTB

The good mood continued throughout the day. Jeff had to attend a meeting from mid-morning, but because the boys had been expecting it, it didn't seem as bad. They had already decided what they were going to do before they even knew they were going to have those extra couple of hours with their father anyway, so by the time he regretfully excused himself, they were ready to go their separate ways. Gordon and Alan were joining others of their own age, John said he wanted to read, Scott wanted some time to himself and Virgil was going back to the beach to paint. Scott was just pleased that no mention of Oscar was made. They neither saw nor heard the boy, and judging by the way Virgil seemed to relax when he realised he wasn't going to be asked to look after him again, Scott was relieved. They had enough problems as it was, let alone dealing with the spoiled brat as well.

Right now, Scott found himself on a small piece of decking, waiting for the rest of his siblings to join him. The beach stretched on for as far as the eye could see, but a small boating lake – two in fact – had been built off to one side. They were letting out small rowing boats, and when Gordon had seen them on their arrival, he had immediately declared that he had wanted a go. To Scott's surprise, everyone else had joined in as well, so the oldest brother had promised once they had had lunch, they were to meet by the small dock that the boats were launching from. For a long moment, he didn't think that Virgil was going to come, the boy not turning up for a while after their designated meeting time. But the artist had eventually come into view, covered in paint and chatting away with a girl around his own age. Scott's eyebrows had raised – Virgil was still at the stage where even mentioning a girl made him turn up his nose in disgust – and John had sniggered quietly. As Alan pestered the older blond over what he was finding so amusing, Scott had to fight to keep the smile from being too obvious on his own face as the pair arrived.

"You're late, Virg," Scott said with a twinkle in his eye, winking at his younger brother as he looked like he was going to open his mouth to protest. The artist knew he was only joking and it was clear that Scott was trying to press him as to who the girl was, so the ten-year-old stared stubbornly at his feet, his cheeks slowly changing colour.

"I think that might have been my fault," the girl said softly, a Texan accent coming through reasonably strongly. "I was asking him how to blend something and he was kind enough to give me a demonstration."

Scott nudged John sharply in the ribs as it looked the thirteen-year-old was going to dissolve into giggles any moment. Once John started, he wouldn't stop.

"Scott." Deciding that if she was going to be staying with them for the afternoon, he may as well at least find out a name, Scott stuck his hand out. The girl grinned, taking it and trying to solemnly shake it, but ended up laughing anyway. On giving her a second look, Scott would have said that she was at least eleven, if not twelve. He suddenly found himself rather impressed with his brother. After all, it wasn't as if he could say anything considering why he had been hanging around the outdoor pool all morning.

"Vicky. I was in Virgil's art class yesterday and today. He said that you guys were going out on the boats and asked if I wanted to come too, something about odd numbers? If that's okay?"

Virgil's head shot up and Scott could see by the look in his eye that he was pleading with his brother to say yes. If he was honest, Scott wasn't brave enough to risk his brother's temper by saying no, but found that the thought barely even crossed his mind. Virgil was finally looking relaxed and happy and there was no way that his big brother was going to do anything to jeopardise that. Scott couldn't help but wonder whether, if he could get Virgil truly relaxed, they would even be able to have a family meal that night without anything kicking off. Virgil's words earlier that morning had hit a chord with Scott and he knew there was a serious lack of trust between his younger brother and father. If there was one thing Scott was determined to get out of this vacation, it would be for the two of them to be on the same page again. Eliminating the tension from one source would cause everyone to relax, especially considering how infectious Virgil's moods could be.

"Sure," he said with a casual shrug, not wanting to make a big deal out of it. Alan still was looking confused, but Gordon seemed to have caught onto what was going on and pulled a face of absolute disgust, causing John to cuff him over the head. If he was honest, Scott couldn't say that John's expression was much better. He seemed to be in-between finding girls attractive and yet battling with his usual shyness to express anything, meaning that he just pretended that he wasn't interested. Scott knew he would get there, but right now, couldn't believe that Virgil was potentially beating him to it.

Out of the corner of his eye, Scott could see that the queue for the boats was dropping and, grabbing Alan's hand, he hurried them over. Much to Gordon's dismay, he was stuck taking Alan on one of the smaller ones, his age meaning that he wasn't allowed onto the main lake. Scott caught sight of the thunderous expression beginning to cloud his face, snagged his brother's arm and pulled him off to one side. It took several attempts to reassure the redhead that it was all because they needed someone who was really good in the water to look after Alan and that naturally meant that Gordon was the best man for the job. Scott knew that Gordon was no doubt going to be unbearable after this, boasting to Virgil and John that he was the better big brother because he was the one Scott had trusted with the youngest member of their family, but the teenager decided to cross that bridge when he came to it. As with Virgil, Scott was too busy trying to avoid a confrontation - he would say anything if it put the smile back on Gordon's face.

Despite that, Scott was still watching closely as the two younger ones were settled into their boat. Unlike the oars of the bigger ones, they had pedals instead, andwere limited toa much smaller lake. Despite Gordon's protests, Scott could see him carefully showing Alan what to do and, as he turned back around, found that John was watching them with a similar expression on his face.

"I know, who would have thought it?" Scott muttered, brushing past his brother and taking John by the arm as he did so. Gordon might be trouble, but he could still make them proud. There was no question of who was going with whom amongst the older ones now, especially considering the way Virgil and Vicky had resumed their earlier conversation. It was nice to hear Virgil talking about his art with someone who actually understood and could appreciate what he was going on about. Scott listened, even Virgil couldn't deny that, but the fifteen-year-old simply had no idea what his little brother was on about when Virgil started talking about shading and brush strokes. Scott had his interests, Virgil had his. It was just a shame that they didn't cross over more.

"Alright lads, in you go. Try and keep your pulls in time with each other, don't hit each other with the oars, and don't jump in until the end, you're not getting in my boats wet, y'hear?" The man on the edge of the dock had a wide grin and a deep tan, his friendly blue eyes making Scott suddenly feel a rush of excitement. He wasn't just doing this because his brothers wanted to, but because he did as well.

"You coming, slow-coach?" John called, having already navigated himself into the boat. His own eyes were gleaming with the same excitement as Scott's, and it made the older brother realise that John had been shouldering just as much as he had. He nodded and practically leapt into the boat, John being forced to hold it steady to stop it capsizing on them. Almost knocking his brother out as he attempted to slot the oars into place, Scott was laughing by the time he and John were ready to go. The man on the side had placed his foot on their boat to hold it still as they tried to get themselves sorted, an easy grin on his face.

"Reckon you are ready now?" he drawled with a smirk. John blushed slightly, but Scott just grinned.

"Yes, Sir!"

The man winked and used his foot to push them off. Scott thought it would be easy, but all he and John managed to do for a few moments was turn in a circle.

"Blondie, stop rowing. Clumsy, pull to your left."

The new names made John dissolve into giggles, and Scott knew he was going to be lucky to get anything out of his brother from now on. But this was precisely why he had wanted to do this. And if he was honest, it wasn't just for Virgil's sake he was glad Vicky had shown up. He knew that it would have been him Virgil demanded to go with, and John would have shrugged it off and said it was fine. But as John finally managed to stop laughing and the boat stopped spinning in circles, Scott was glad that he had a chance to be with his immediate younger brother. Every time they were together lately had involved trying to sort out the rest of their family.

Finally though, they managed to get themselves sorted and heading in the right direction. It was amazing, as soon as they got started, the pair worked almost seamlessly together and their boat soon picked up an easy speed. Just as he was settling into the lull of the strokes, Scott saw John turn his head out of the corner of his eye.

"Scott?"

Glancing at his brother, Scott frowned at the troubled look on John's face. Twisting around, he too glanced back towards the shore. It was only John's quick reactions that stopped their boat from once more going out of control as Scott frowned. He could see that Virgil had climbed into the next boat, clearly trying to hold it steady for Vicky to jump in. The man had bent down for him, holding the boat by hand rather than his foot as he had done for the older ones. Scott was just thankful that he was adapting how he handled the situation to the age of those involved. But it wasn't what was in the water that had caught his eye, but what was happening on the side. The older brothers could only watch as another figure came running up, forcibly pushing Vicky to one side. The man let go of the boat to reach out to steady the girl as she wobbled with a cry right on the edge of the decking. That was all the time Oscar needed to jump in himself and push away, grabbing the oars as he did so.

"How do you turn this thing around?" Scott muttered, letting John work it out as he kept his eyes fixed on the boat. The man had yelled after them, but as he and John had found, it did take two to control the boats. Virgil couldn't get it back to the side even if he wanted to. He couldn't hear the words that were being exchanged, but could see enough of Virgil's body language to know that a fierce argument was taking place. Their own boat lurched suddenly and John muttered an apology as Scott kept his eyes locked on the younger ones.

"When I get my hands on that brat..." Scott snarled under his breath, forgetting that John would still be able to hear every word he said.

"Just wait until we are back on land," the star-loving Tracy murmured in response. "Hold on, I think we're turning." John dug his oar in sharply and pulled, and Scott was grateful for the warning as their boat spun sharply. It was only John's quick command that made Scott dig in his own oar in order to stop them going around in a complete circle. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Scott was registering just how calm his brother was, taking the situation in his stride and being the one to control the boat. Scott wasn't sure where they would have ended up if John had left the oars to him. Probably upside down, considering his mood at that moment.

"Scott, you need to actually row. I can't get us there on my own."

Blinking, Scott merely grunted in acknowledgement and began to pull sharply through the water.

"Just not that fast, idiot, or we're going around in circles again."

The older brother finally glanced at the younger and immediately softened, waiting for John to get himself sorted.

"Sorry, I just..."

"Want to get to Virg, I know. But we have to work together here if we have any chance of tipping Oscar overboard."

"I thought you wanted to wait until we get back onto land?" Scott couldn't help but smile softly at the fierce wave of protectiveness he sensingfrom John. He was clearly not the only one concerned about their younger brother. This time, it was John's turn to simply grunt and he nodded his head towards the other boat. Scott growled when he saw that the argument was escalating into what looked like a fight, Oscar grabbing hold of the oar and brandishing it threateningly as Virgil seemed to cling onto the side, looking slightly scared even from the distance they were at.

"Ready?"

"Let's go."

Working as a team, the Tracy brothers began to steer their boat back towards their brother, vaguely registering that the owner was also getting a boat ready, clearly having had enough and deciding to go after them himself.

"Scott, your oar is slipping."

Scott glanced down to find John was right, his oar was beginning to come loose from the slot that was keeping it steady. Looking down, he began to adjust it.

"Scott!"

John's yell had his head shooting back up right again just as there was an almighty splash and a yell from somewhere on the side. Glancing towards the other boat, Scott felt both a rush of concern and a flash of anger.

Oscar was still there, holding the oar and looking smug.

Virgil, however, was nowhere to be seen, apart from the ripples spreading out from the water next to the boat.


	7. Chapter 7

***skids in for a late update* I'm still on time... just!**

"Virgil!"

Scott was on his feet barely even before he had finished processing what he was seeing. Their own boat wobbled precariously and John was forced to reposition himself in the middle, holding onto both sides in order to stop the whole thing from capsizing.

"Scott, what..?" John made to ask what Scott was doing, but as his brother simply dove off the side of the boat, he guessed that he should have known what was coming. Watching Scott resurface, gain his bearings and then strike out for Virgil's boat, John sat down, grabbing the oars. His own eyes were also fixed on Virgil's boat, and he couldn't stop the sigh of relief when he saw his brother resurface again. Virgil might have been coughing and spluttering, but Scott was on his way and John knew that his brother was going to be okay.

"Virgil!"

The yell from the bank caused the blond to whip around from where he had been attempting to make the boat move. Gordon and Alan had clearly finished their turn and had come to watch their big brothers. None of that crossed the star-loving Tracy's mind, however, as he saw the distress on Gordon's face as Virgil disappeared back under, and the way the child bent down, clearly looking like he was going to take his shoes off.

"Gordon, no!" John yelled, changing course slightly now that he had managed to get the thing to move. Once he managed to get a small amount of momentum, it really wasn't that difficult. There was no way that he could match the speed they had been travelling at before, but he was at least making progress. Originally, he had been heading straight towards where Virgil had disappeared. But on seeing the man in charge also heading that way, John changed his mind. If the instructor was out on the lake, there would be no one on the side to stop Gordon simply diving in. Not that John doubted that his brother could handle himself in the water - he would possibly reach Virgil before Scott did - but he didn't want Alan trying to follow suit or for all of them to end up in the lake. Out of the corner of his eye he could see that Scott had almost reached Virgil and, tugging sharply on the oars once more, John brought the boat to a stop, halfway between his brothers and the side.

"Gordon, stay right there! I need you to look after Alan." If there was one thing John had picked up from watching Scott handle their younger brothers, it was how to get them to do something in an emergency. All he had to do was play on Gordon's desire to be an awesome big brother, and the redhead wouldn't so much as blink in case it gave Alan the wrong idea. The child froze but John could see the distress on his face even from the distance he was at.

"It's okay, I've got him!" Scott's hoarse-sounding voice suddenly rang across the lake, his breathing sounding remarkably even for someone who had just swum as fast as he possibly could and then dived into the depths the third time Virgil had disappeared under.

John's head shot back around that way so fast that he felt his neck crick, but he sagged in relief at the sight that greeted him. Scott did indeed have their brother. Virgil's head was leaning back on Scott's shoulder as the older boy kept them both above the water. The ten-year-old was gasping and spluttering and John wasn't sure whether the water running down his face was from the lake or from tears, but as Virgil managed to take a few deep breaths, John breathed out a sigh of relief himself. Not that he had ever doubted that Scott would get to their brother, but seeing Virgil disappearing under the water had done things to his insides that he had only ever experienced once before. Considering they had ended up losing their mother the last time he had felt like that, John couldn't say that he was going to be prepared to let this incident go.

As the instructor got to the pair, somehow managing to balance his own boat and take Virgil from Scott, John felt a flash of anger so uncharacteristic for him that it almost took his own breath away. Before he thought about what he was doing, he had grabbed hold of the oars once more and was heading back towards Scott. Now that Virgil was out of the water, he knew that Gordon would stay put; John wasn't needed there. Instead, his gaze was locked on the smirking boy who was avoiding the instructor's eye whilst being yelled at. John wasn't even thinking of getting over there to help Scott out of the water, he just wanted to get to Oscar. It wasn't often the thirteen-year-old's temper was sparked off, but when it was, the results were explosive.

His eyes locked on the younger boy, John jumped so violently when Scott suddenly appeared at the bow of the boat that he almost fell in himself. His brother was shivering slightly, but there was a fire in his eyes that outdid even John's. The older boy grabbed hold of the boat, hands hooked over the side as he tried to pull himself in. Getting the hint, John reached forward. Grabbing Scott by the neck of his now sodden top, he helped to practically topple him into the boat. The instructor had finished yelling and was in the process of rowing steadily back to shore. Scott's fiery gaze softened slightly as he gazed after them, and John suddenly realised that the only reason Scott wasn't in that boat with Virgil was because there simply wasn't enough room.

"Get us back," he muttered tensely, knuckles turning white as he gripped the side of the boat. John nodded, revenge pushed aside for a moment as he focused on getting them back to the shore and back to Virgil. Whilst the issue of space was the only reason why Scott was not in the boat, the fact that Virgil was being moved away from them was also the only reason why Oscar hadn't felt the wrath of the Tracy brothers. It had always been their unspoken (or sometimes spoken, depending on how bad the situation got) rule that no one messed with them without having to face the others. Even Alan had once kicked someone in the shin when they were rude to Scott. Not that the oldest brother had let it go, firmly telling the then-four-year-old that it was wrong, but John had seen the small smile on his face. If even the youngest was that protective, Oscar had no chance of getting away with what he had just done.

John rowed silently and steadily, not even thinking about asking Scott to help. A small growl of annoyance came from behind them at one point, and the brothers couldn't help but grin at each other. John had mastered rowing on his own and could even maintain a steady speed. Three years younger and not yet having reached a growth spurt, Oscar could not. He was stuck until someone went back out for him.

After what felt like an age, not helped by Scott muttering profanities that would have had their grandmother reaching for her rolling pin if she had heard him, the two finally reached the shore. Scott sprang out almost before John had brought the boat alongside the decking, running across to where the man had lifted Virgil out. The youngster was sitting on the side, a blanket being wrapped around his shoulders even as Scott went racing across.

"Virg! Hey, kiddo, talk to me."

John had to smile at Scott's frantic words even as he managed to tie up the boat – albeit roughly – and climb out himself. He almost lost his footing on the wet deck and might have slipped if it hadn't been for Gordon. The seven-year-old grabbed John by the elbow, not saying a word before beginning to tug the blond over to the rest of their family. Alan had run across as soon as Virgil had appeared and was worriedly stroking his big brother's arm. Virgil was pale and shaking slightly, but could be seen to visibly relax as Scott pulled him into a hug. They were both as wet as each other, so it wasn't as if it made any difference. Hurrying over, both John and Gordon dropped to their knees beside them, Gordon immediately jumping on Virgil and getting himself soaked in the process, and John squeezing his brother's shoulder. Virgil's smile was no less at John's contact than Gordon's, knowing his brother was not the physical type.

Obviously satisfied that the ten-year-old was being well taken care of, the instructor quickly set out in his boat again. John couldn't help but notice that he didn't have nearly the same urgency as he steadily rowed his way out to where Oscar was still stranded. As his head turned to watch the man's movement, something caught his gaze out of the corner of his eye and he stood up. Virgil was safe in Scott's hands and John would be lucky to get a word in edgeways now that Scott had firmly entered protective mode. Instead, the blond made his way over to where a girl a little younger than him stood on the side. There were dried tear tracks coursing down her cheeks and her hands twisted at the fabric of her sundress as she looked at Virgil.

"It's Vicky, right?" the thirteen year old muttered, suddenly wondering what he was doing. Scott was the one who talked to girls; he just went red and started stuttering. As she looked at him and slowly nodded, John had to force himself to meet her eyes and not simply run away in the opposite direction. Heck, he would even opt for jumping in the lake if it got him out of this, but he owed it to Virgil.

"Are you okay? I saw what Oscar did."

"I'm fine. Is Virgil okay?"

John grinned and nodded as he heard a slight protest coming from behind him. One glance showed that Virgil was recovering from his fright. Either that, or he had just seen who John was talking to, for he hastily pushed himself away from where he had been leaning against Scott. The oldest brother didn't seem quite satisfied that Virgil was as okay as he was making out, but then he too saw what Virgil was looking at. The second-oldest brother wasn't sure whether Vicky noticed the way Scott suddenly smirked and rolled his eyes before subtly whipping the blanket off Virgil again. The young artist jumped, his eyes going wide in surprise before he smiled his thanks. Despite his pretence, he still accepted Scott's helping hand as he was pulled to his feet. There seemed to be some sort of unspoken message shooting between John's immediate older and younger brothers, before Scott nodded softly. Whatever they had been talking about, the older boy had just granted permission for Virgil to continue, regardless of the fact that he was shaking slightly. Whether it was the coldness of the lake or just shock over what had happened, it wasn't clear.

John, however, had stopped watching. The boats had just got back to the shore and Oscar was standing behind the brothers. Feeling a wild flash of fear over the fact that Alan was standing closest to the boy, John took a few steps forward, his eyes locked on the child who was ruining his brother's holiday. After getting slightly closer, John stopped again, frowning. There was a strange look on Oscar's face, something mixed between sadness and envy as Scott called Alan back from going too close to the edge and Gordon took it upon himself to help Virgil over to talk to Vicky, regardless of the fact his big brother's face was slowly turning red as she smiled at him. The second that Oscar realised that John was looking, the expression disappeared and the smirk was immediately back in place, but John found that he couldn't bring himself to move any closer. He couldn't explain it, but it was as if that one flash, that one look present for only a few seconds, suddenly gave him an insight into Oscar.

"Such a baby," the boy drawled, making to move forward and deliberately bumping into Scott as he did so.

Any sympathy John might have been feeling disappeared the second Oscar's mouth opened and John felt his own face change as he practically growled. He wasn't the only one - Scott also stepped forward. The fifteen-year-old had always had a more fiery temper than his younger brother, and this time when John moved, it was to intercept Scott.

He didn't quite anticipate having to use his full strength in order to keep his big brother back, but it seemed that Scott had truly had enough of the brat. If he was honest, John couldn't blame him. Oscar seemed to have found all the buttons to make Scott explode and was happily jabbing his greedy fingers all over them. Virgil had heard the cruel words and had turned, the pinkness on his cheeks deepening, but for a different reason this time.

"John, get off..." Scott's voice was low, almost a growl. But all it managed to do was make his little brother cling on tighter, his feet sliding slightly on the slippery deck. If Scott continued like this, John was going to have to let go or risk ending up back in the water. Scott was bigger and stronger than him, not to mention angrier.

"You can't hit him, Scott, he's younger than you," John grunted, almost falling over when his brother suddenly stopped fighting him. Even so, John wasn't prepared to let Scott go just yet. He didn't trust his brother's temper when it came to looking out for the younger ones. John had seen firsthand through incidents at school that Scott could hold his own in a fight, but he wasn't sure his brother would be able to forgive himself afterwards if he hit Oscar. However good it might feel at the time.

"Damn him," Scott cursed, tugging against John's hold. But this time, it was not to try and get to the younger boy, but a signal for his brother to let go. "I'm fine, Johnny, get off..." Scott knew what it would have meant to John to physically try and restrain him. The blond had never been good with contact, but it had got a lot worse in the last year. It hadn't been uncommon for the child to be snuggled into their mother's side each evening with a book in his hand. Now he had lost only contact which had made him feel comfortable, it was as if John was getting worse. Scott wondered whether he would need to talk to his father about it, but before he could even let the thought process begin to unwind, Oscar scoffed. He was standing in front of them, only just out of Scott's reach. This time, however, it wasn't Scott who needed to be held back.

John had had enough. He was normally the most calm of the brothers, the one who would sit patiently through Virgil's rants over missing a note in a piece of music, even if no one else could hear it. He was even the one to calm down Scott, especially when something like this happened. The oldest brother didn't tend to think straight when his siblings were involved. But whilst John's temper was not often seen, when he did explode, it was ferocious. He could stew for hours, and then let it loose on the world in a way that only made sense to a thirteen-year-old. But rather than his mood then bouncing back, John would be angry for hours, days if given the chance. Seeing the warning signs, Scott grabbed John's arm, jerking him back a pace or two, making sure that his brother couldn't reach Oscar.

"He's younger than you, too," he muttered, letting go of John's arm but making sure that he positioned himself in-between the two. He wanted nothing more than to just let John go and see what would happen – something told Scott that John was not as defenceless as everyone seemed to assume. But he had a responsibility to keep his brothers safe and out of trouble. Oscar had already undermined that when he pushed Virgil in and Scott had no desire to fail another brother because of the kid. After Oscar's performance the day before, Scott knew that he would use anything that happened to his advantage. But whilst he knew that he couldn't let John loose, Scott failed to see someone else moving.

Gordon had heard John's muttered words to his brother, and now Scott's response. Biting his lip, he glanced from where Virgil was trying to hide the fact that he was shivering as he spoke to Vicky over to where his other two older brothers were attempting to calm each other down. Oscar was standing directly between the two pairs, a smug look on his face as he believed that he was safe. It was clear that he, too, had heard their words and now believed that he was untouchable, Virgil was clearly otherwise occupied. The seven-year-old scowled, glancing to where Alan was chewing on the edge of his sleeve, watching the confrontation with wide eyes. Somehow, it was the innocent look of his only little brother that made up Gordon's mind for him.

Walking forward, he tapped Oscar on the shoulder. Waiting until the older boy had turned, he then kicked him sharply in the shin and punched him on the shoulder as he bent down slightly.

"OW!"

"Gordon!"

Despite the admonishment in Scott's tone, Gordon knew his brother too well. Scott was constantly telling him off, meaning the troublemaker had learnt how much trouble he was in by the tone of voice. Scott's words might have been scolding, but his voice was laughing.

"What?"

"You know what."

"This?" And so saying, Gordon kicked Oscar again, causing John's lips to twitch.

"I'll tell my father! He'll make you pay for this!" Oscar yelled, hopping up and down on the spot. John also smirked, sensing that Scott was doing the same. Gordon had a hard kick, they could vouch for that.

"And what would you tell him?" the fifteen-year-old asked, walking forward and wrapping an arm around Gordon's shoulders. It was almost in a protective manner, making sure that Oscar couldn't get back at the redhead. "That you were beaten by someone three years younger than you? I would have thought that he would be more disappointed that you didn't come out triumphant than angry at my brother."

Oscar's face fell as John brushed past him to stand with the others. He opened his mouth a few times, clearly trying to make a comeback. But he couldn't seem to find the words to say, and Scott wondered just how close to the truth his words had hit. John was thinking the same thing, his mind full of Oscar's earlier expression when the boy had showed just a flicker of vulnerability. Yet no one said anything, for none of the Tracys had any desire to try and make the child feel better. As Virgil suddenly appeared by Scott's side, the oldest brother repeated his actions and wrapped his arm around Virgil's shoulder. Glancing back, he saw Vicky walking off.

"Everything okay?"

"Her folks are expecting her," Virgil muttered, leaning into Scott's side now that he wasn't trying to pretend any more. His big brother frowned at the way the younger boy was still shivering. The shock must have worn off by now since he had been talking to the girl happily enough. Deciding it must be the cold, Scott began to turn, taking Virgil and Gordon around with him.

"Come on, let's get cleaned up before dinner," he muttered, not drawing attention to the fact that it was Virgil he really wanted inside and in a hot shower. He didn't want to give Oscar any more ammunition and, as Virgil looked up at him, Scott smiled. He could see that his brother knew what he really meant, and was grateful to Scott for not fussing as much as he could have. "John, can you-?"

"I got him." John didn't need Scott to finish his sentence, for he knew what his brother was going to say. Before Scott had finished speaking, the thirteen-year-old had already held out his hand to Alan. The youngest member of the family grabbed hold happily. Whether it was because Alan was the youngest, or whether it was because he had spent the last year pulled around all over the place as the family tried to deal with what had happened, he never kicked up a fuss about holding anyone's hand. Unlike Gordon, who tended to immediately try and run in the opposite direction.

As Alan moved past Oscar, he suddenly stopped, staring up at the boy who was twice his age.

"You're not very nice," he announced seriously, and Scott's lips twitched as he caught John's eye over everyone else's heads. He had always known that it wasn't just the older brothers who looked out for the family. First Gordon and now Alan... Oscar was going to be lucky to get anywhere near Virgil again and, as he glanced down, Scott saw that the artist knew it. There was a small, fond smile on his face. Scott, John and Virgil couldn't really say anything to Oscar, not with the way that the boy would twisteverything to work in his favour. Gordon and Alan, however, could almost do whatever they wanted.

"You little brat," Oscar snarled, clearly having had enough of coming up against a wall when it came to trying to get one over on the Tracy brothers. Stepping forward, he shoved Alan on the shoulder so hard that, even though he was holding onto John's hand, the five-year-old fell over backwards. Landing with a thud on the decking, Alan just sat there for a moment, clearly trying to process what had happened.

"You-"

"John, no!"

It was too late, though. By the time Scott had opened his mouth, John had leapt at Oscar. Unwrapping his arms from Gordon and Virgil, Scott ran forwards even as Alan started to cry. Deciding that it was time for him to take on the big brother role, Virgil dropped down next to his youngest brother, giving him a hug.

"You're all wet," Alan giggled, forgetting his tears almost instantly as he squirmed away from Virgil. The artist laughed, ruffling his hair before turning to see what was going on. He almost groaned at the sight that greeted him, wondering how on earth they were going to get away with this.

John had managed to knock Oscar over, but Scott had arrived before anything else could be done. Hooking his hands under John's shoulders, the oldest brother had bodily pulled the younger away, struggling to hold onto him.

"Stop it! Think of what we said earlier..."

"I don't care! He clearly doesn't!"

Taking a step backwards, Scott dragged John with him, desperately trying to hold onto his brother. He had hit a growth spurt recently, and there just seemed to be limbs everywhere, making John extremely hard to hold onto.

"You're better than he is, Johnny, don't do this." Deciding that if holding him back wasn't going to achieve anything, then it was down to words, Scott continued muttering soothing nonsense in his brother's ear as he backed up. Unfortunately, Oscar was just sitting where John had pushed him, smirking. The child clearly believed that Scott was more worried about his brothers getting into trouble than he was about making him pay for pushing over Alan. Gordon, however, had no such qualms.

With a running leap, he threw himself at Oscar, sending them both flying backwards and skidding towards the water's edge once more. Wondering where on earth the instructor was, Scott glanced between John and Gordon, trying to work out who was more trouble. John was still fighting to get back at Oscar and Scott knew that it wouldn't be safe to let him go. But whilst Gordon's intentions were clear, he was the younger one out of the fighting pair. Not to mention how close they were to the water. Oscar hadn't hesitated before pushing one Tracy in, so why would he do so with a second?

"Gordon, stop!" Coming to a decision, Scott pushed at John, forcing his brother over slightly before putting him in a headlock. John might have grown, but he was still waiting for the muscle to catch up with him. He was no match for Scott as his brother dragged him over to Gordon. Reaching into the scuffle, Scott winced as someone kicked his leg and a fist hit him in the stomach, but somehow managed to grab Gordon by the back of his collar.

Backing away whilst holding two brothers was not an easy feat, especially when both were fuelled on anger and struggling to get loose once again. He managed to get back a few paces before taking the easy option and just falling over backwards, taking them down with him. Immediately, Scott pinned Gordon down with his legs and grabbed John by the arms once more.

"Stop!" he grunted, refusing to look at Oscar. If the boy was smirking again, Scott wasn't sure he could be held accountable for his actions. "He's not worth it; you're giving him what he wants. Just stop it, the pair of you!" Even though he'd taken charge of looking after his brothers for a year now, Scott wasn't sure he had ever sounded as much like his father as he did in that moment. Gordon seemed to sense it and immediately fell still, stopping his pushing against Scott's legs. John froze for a moment before attempting to wrench himself away.

"You're not dad, Scott. It's not your job to stop us." The quiet note in John's voice made Scott falter slightly, knowing that his brother had a point. But he didn't realise that John just knew him too well. As soon as he hesitated, John pulled away and jumped to his feet. Now that his temper had been sparked off, John was not backing down.

"Gordon, stay there!" Scott yelled, jumping after John. He hit his brother in the back, sending them both back down to the floor and keeping him pinned there this time. John bucked, trying to get the older teenager off him, but Scott refused to budge. He opened his mouth once more.

"What the hell is going on here?" a voice thundered, causing Scott's own words to die in his throat. He might have been able to sound like their father when the time called for it, but no one could sound as intimidating as the man himself.

Twisting his head around awkwardly, Scott swallowed.

Their father had arrived, looking positively fuming as he took in the sight of his sons sprawled across the decking in various positions, both Scott and Virgil soaking wet.


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you so much once again for the amazing support with this, it means the world.**

"Daddy!" Alan wasted no time in throwing himself at his father, bursting into tears at the same time. "He pushed Virgy in. Virgy drowndeded! But then Scotty saved him and then he pushed me over and then Gordy tried to be all big and brave, but Scotty had to stop him and Johnny and..."

"Alan!" There was a softer note to Jeff's voice as he crouched down in front of his youngest son, pulling Alan into a hug even as his eyes locked onto his two oldest. Scott had climbed off John but was keeping his brother on the floor, one knee in John's back doing the trick even as he kept an eye on Gordon. Jeff seemed to take all this in wordlessly, his eyes flickering over to where Virgil was only just beginning to dry off. "Calm down, Alan; take a deep breath. Gordon, take two steps back from the water's edge. Virgil, wrap that blanket around your shoulders more securely, and for heaven's sake, Scott, get off your brother."

For once, not one of the boys argued. Although there had been a note in Jeff's voice that indicated he was not to be disobeyed, it was underlined by the concern for his sons. He had only stepped out for some air and found himself meandering along the beach, trying to clear his head. If he was honest, the meeting wasn't quite going according to plan and he hadn't been able to get the boys out of his head. Virgil's accusing glances, Scott's disappointed look, Alan's tears... These were not things that he had ever noticed before, and the shame at that thought alone was driving him to insanity. Deciding to find out what they were doing, he had opted for following the noise. He had a feeling it would lead him to the boys, but this was not the sight he had been expecting to see.

It had been more than obvious that Scott was trying to stop whatever it was that was going on. Virgil had been off to one side – that in itself telling Jeff that something had happened with his middle son – and Alan had been standing next to him. But it was the other three who had made Jeff pick up his pace, groaning when he saw that it was Oscar they were going for. If he was honest, Jeff couldn't say that he liked the boy's father - he was quick with his tongue and it was only the patience of raising five boys that meant Jeff was still even in the business negotiations with him. But he hadn't expected that Scott would allow the rest of the boys to take revenge on the child for upsetting Virgil. Whatever had happened, Jeff knew how Scott would react. It didn't matter who had done what, Virgil had been upset and that would have been enough for the oldest brother.

But then, drawing closer and slowing down his pace in order to catch his breath again, Jeff had frowned. Scott had managed to pull John and Gordon off, his clear yell at them to stop making his father proud. But as his boys grappled together, Jeff had felt a flash of anger shoot through him. Oscar was just sitting there smirking. It was clear that he was deliberately goading the boys and Scott had been forced to hold John down once more even as Jeff arrived. It was only now he was closer did he realise that Virgil was soaking wet, as was Scott.

Scott finally stood up and backed off. As soon as he did so, Virgil sidled over to his brother. Jeff could only watch, one hand still resting on Alan's shoulder as Scott's eyes asked a question his voice did not. Virgil seemed to understand what it was, for he nodded. Immediately, Scott grinned, ruffling Virgil's still wet hair and causing his brother to pretend to protest. Whatever it was they were doing, Scott was clearly satisfied. As it was his oldest son, Jeff wasn't going to ask. If Scott was satisfied, that was enough for him.

"Alan?" Crouching down so that he was level with his youngest son, Jeff smiled reassuringly, wiping Alan's tears away. At the back of his mind, he couldn't remember the last time he had done that. Pushing the thought firmly away, Jeff knew that if he was to make any difference, he couldn't dwell in the past, but had to be there for the boys now. "I think Johnny might need a hug, think you are up to it?"

Immediately, Alan's tears disappeared and he nodded, running over to John without another word. Jeff also thought that it would keep the older blond going after Oscar again if he had Alan to focus on. One glance told him that he wouldn't get a word out of Gordon. The redhead took a long, _long_ time to truly lose his temper, but he could take after John in that manner. Once something had annoyed him, Gordon could stew for days. Right now, he was staring moodily into the water, the intensity of his gaze making Jeff glad that he wasn't on the other end of it. Knowing he would just be met with silence if he addressed his second-youngest, Jeff made his way over to Scott and Virgil.

"What happened?" he asked softly. He wanted to reach out and take Virgil in his arms, to dry him off properly. But something stopped him. Maybe it was the way Scott's hand was still resting on his brother's shoulder, or the way Virgil seemed to be unconsciously leaning on the older boy. Jeff had lost his chance to be the one Virgil automatically turned to. All he could do now was let Scott take that role and hope that one day, Virgil would begin to trust him again.

"We were out on the boats," Scott began softly, his voice lined with barely controlled anger and his hand giving Virgil's shoulder another squeeze. "John and I went out. Virgil was supposed to be in the one afterwards with someone he met yesterday. That bra- Oscar pushed her out of the way, jumped in and pushed Virgil in."

"That is a complete and utter lie! We didn't go out on the boats! They were mucking around on the side, jumping in and all that, and then just attacked me."

Jeff saw Scott ripple with anger, but shook his head warningly. Unlike before, it was more than obvious where the lie was coming from. He made to turn towards Oscar, but someone beat him to it.

"Couldn't help overhearing, Sir. That is the biggest pile of cr..." Jeff cleared his throat. "Rubbish I ever heard."

Glancing over Scott's shoulder, Jeff saw a young man in his early twenties coming into view, glaring at Oscar. Scott seemed to relax, glancing at John who also smiled.

"And who are you?"

"Name's Jack. I run this little show. And have just had to go and put three boats back from where I was forced to go out after some stupid kid thought it would be a good idea to hijack one, then push his friend in."

"He's not my friend!" Virgil declared loudly and stubbornly, the weight of his glare enough to back up his words. Jack blinked, but then shrugged.

"Don't you know who I am? My father will have you shut down for saying such lies," Oscar hissed, his hands balled into fists by his sides as he turned to face Jack. By the time he looked at Jeff again, the wide-eyed innocent look was back.

"Don't listen to him, Sir. Your sons paid him to cover for them. They don't like me and tried to get everyone else to help."

"Why you-"

"Scott!"

"Begging your pardon, Sir." Jack was speaking again, thumbs hooked casually in his pockets and his expression calm. "These are the biggest lies I have ever heard in m'life, and working here, I've heard a few."

Jeff nodded slowly, pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. Virgil didn't have the best track record with telling the truth, often thinking he would be able to get away with things. It had never worked when Lucy was still alive, though for the life of him, Jeff didn't know how she had distinguished between what was the truth and what was his son's imagination running wild. That was why he hadn't been sure who to believe before. As much as his sons just thought that he was being unreasonable, Virgil had given him enough evidenceto warrant doubting the ten-year-old. But now, Jeff felt guilty that he had contemplated believing Oscar. His tone was smooth, his expression bordering on what one might consider endearing. And yet, there could be no denying that it was sheer lies pouring from his mouth.

"I'll shut you down. I'll make sure of it!"

"You do that, kid," Jack said casually, a smirk on his face even as he rolled his eyes.

"You don't know who my father is. He'll make your life hell! He'll make sure that you never work again, have all your precious boats destroyed!"

"Sure thing."

"Aren't you worried?"

"Why, should I be?"

Jeff frowned. There was something familiar about Jack, something that he hadn't yet been able to place. But seeing the way he wasn't even batting an eyelid at Oscar's threats, Jeff was sure that he was missing something.

"My father is worth billions. He could take you down."

"I'll let my Dad know to add it onto the charge of your room then. Didn't know we were housing a world dominator in our luxury suites."

"You..." Oscar gaped, his expression changing faster than lighting. "You own this place?"

"Yep."

Jeff found himself grinning. He knew there was something about him. Jack was the spitting image of his father, the same father who Jeff had seen multiple times that morning trying to make sure that his guests were happy. They might be the same in looks, but no wonder Jeff hadn't made the connection: they were complete opposites in personalities.

"But...but why are you working here?"

"Because I have to earn money."

"You have thousands."

"No, my father does. I make my own way in the world, and was just lucky that I could land myself a job here over the summer."

There was a look of utter confusion on Oscar's face.

"We're going to see your father." Jeff knew that it was time to move the conversation on before someone else ended up in the water. Considering the lies and insults coming out of Oscar's mouth, Jeff had a sure idea of who it would be.

"Virgil?" Jeff moved forward, placing his hands on his son's shoulder and bending down so that he was looking him in the eye, concern burning bright. Scott made a movement out of the corner of his eye, but Jeff ignored him. Virgil might not trust him in the same way anymore, but Jeff had to make certain. "Are you okay, son?"

He wasn't sure if he imagined the way that Virgil glanced towards Scott, or the way Scott nodded softly in response, but Virgil finally met his eyes.

"I'm fine, Dad. Just took me by surprise, that's all," he said quietly. He met his father's eye for a moment before glancing down again and fiddling with the edge of the blanket. Sensing that the boy was uncomfortable, Jeff backed up, nodding as he did so. He trusted Scott to look after Virgil even if he wouldn't let his father.

"Scott, is everyone okay here?"

"Yes, Sir," Scott responded, clearly trying to keep the grin off his face. Oscar had just been served his own medicine in regard to using his father, and by the look on his face, had clearly decided that he didn't like the taste.

Jeff took Oscar's arm, ignoring the boy's dumbfounded expression over the fact that no one was believing him, and began to walk away. He trusted that Scott would know what to do with the rest of the boys. Jeff knew that he was walking a thin line with his children. They had to see that he was there for them once again, but at the same time, they had got used to him not being around. He didn't want to feel like he was crowding them, especially not Scott. Once someone had grown up, they couldn't go back. And no one could deny that Scott had grown up. The teenager was not the same boy from a year ago_._ Jeff knew that was his fault. He couldn't hurt his boys any more.

"I swear to you, they just don't like me. It's all a story."

Oscar's whining voice finally faded into the distance and Virgil let out a shaky laugh, sitting on the floor and dragging the towel through his hair.

"Do you really own this place?" John asked quietly.

"My father does. Look, boys, I can tell from that whole little escapade that you guys must have money." Scott tensed, but stayed quiet. "Let me give you some advice. Make sure you live your dreams not your father's. Mine tried to dictate my life, claiming that he was the one paying for it. I ended up homeless for six months after refusing to let him control me. We've reached an understanding now, but any money I have, I've earned. That kid might think it is great to use his father now, but wait until he is older. It's true what they say, money is power. And if he is using his daddy's money, then his daddy is the one with all the power. He'll end up with nothing."

"Our father doesn't give us anything," Virgil muttered, not wanting Jack to think that they were anything like Oscar. The young instructor grinned, reaching over and ruffling Virgil's hair.

"He does. He gives you something that I bet the father of that little brat doesn't give. He gives you his time, and love." Virgil shifted at the words, especially about Jeff having time for them but Scott shot him a glance, keeping his younger brother quiet as Jack continued. "That's worth more than anything, take it from someone who knows. Now, I gotta run, but you kids are welcome back here at any time. Haven't had that much fun since I climbed around the outside of the whole hotel using just the balconies. See ya!"

He gave a cheery wave and walked off, whistling. Scott glanced at Gordon.

"No!" he said firmly, stopping the insane smile from spreading over Gordon's face.

"But Scott..."

How his brother managed to drag it out into such a whine, Scott had no idea, but he shook his head firmly.

"Don't even think about it, Gordon, one balcony scene was bad enough."

"What?" There was surprise and astonishment in Virgil's voice as he glanced between his brothers. Gordon didn't need telling twice, but immediately launched into the story of how he had made it into Scott and John's room the other morning without using the main door. Virgil went from looking puzzled to slowly beginning to smile. By the time Gordon had finished – complete with extravagant gestures to accompany his story - Virgil was laughing.

"Oh, I would have loved to have seen Dad's face."

"You could have if you'd taken your head out from under the pillow." Scott's voice was light as he took Alan's hand and began to walk off, but the boys knew each other too well. Virgil knew there was more being said than just the words that came out of Scott's mouth. There had been something in his tone of voice.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Scott glanced over his shoulder, but jerked his head, a clear indication that he wanted the others to catch up. Gordon ran up to them, but then carried on running. Scott knew he wouldn't go too far so let him.

"Scott! What was that supposed to mean?" Hurrying to catch up as well, Virgil was frowning quizzically at his brother. Scott had almost sounded a tiny bit accusing. Sighing, the older boy stopped.

"Virg, you know Dad is trying to make a difference now, don't you?"

"Yeah..."

"Promise me you'll do the same?"

"What? I'm fine..."

"You deliberately wouldn't do as you were told the other morning. I'm not saying I blame you," Scott added on hastily, seeing Virgil's face begin to cloud over, "Dad was being a jerk, true enough. But you won't do it anymore, will you? He has to see that you are trying, or he won't try himself."

"You should be a teacher_," _Virgil muttered, but that gave Scott enough of an answer. If Virgil was truly annoyed at him, he wouldn't have said anything.

"As long as it isn't Math." The two boys shared a fond look as they fell into step with one another. Everyone knew that the subject hated Scott as much as he hated it.

"I can do it! I know my tables now, listen..." As Alan began reciting off his five times tables, Scott smiled fondly.

"Let's get dried off before heading back to the woods. Gordon! Head towards the rooms, Virg and I need to change."

Alan was trying to work something out on his fingers as Scott yelled after the redhead.

"'kay!"

"He's loving this, isn't he?"

"By the end of it, Virg, so will you." As they watched Gordon change direction, never slowing in his pace, Virgil smiled. Scott couldn't fix everything, Virgil was old enough to realise that now. But he certainly tried as hard as he could, and Virgil could ask for no more. Thinking of his older brother made him suddenly frown.

"Where's John?"

Scott stopped with a groan, glancing about him as he did so.

"I knew I should have made sure he was following. I think he was still thinking about something. He's probably right where we left him, you know how John can just zone out if something catches his attention." The oldest brother glanced towards where Gordon was still running ahead, preparing to call him back.

"Wait."

Scott looked slightly startled as Virgil spoke again. "I'll go back. I'll run, we'll catch up really quickly, especially the speed you are going with Al. I'll go and get him, then you can do your big brother act when we get back. Okay?"

Scott looked like he was going to argue, until he caught sight of Virgil's expression. It seemed his earlier words about Virgil trying were already beginning to take effect, for there was an earnest expression on his face, his eyes trying to get his brother to trust him. Much as he didn't like the idea of Virgil going off alone after what had just happened, Scott knew he had to let it happen. It wasn't to do with trust, he had let his brother go off before - that was what had caused the initial trouble with Oscar - he just wanted to keep Virgil somewhere safe after his dip in the lake. But Scott also knew that if he gave Virgil any indication that he didn't trust him, his younger brother wouldn't listen to another word he said. Sighing, Scott nodded.

"Be quick. Here, take my cell, I've put the room numbers in it. Call up if there is a problem, I'll come back down."

"I can do this, you know." Virgil took the phone and smiled at his brother to try and take any sting out of his words. Scott seemed to almost sag in defeat.

"I know you can, kiddo. Now go on, go and get space-face. Tell him Gordon will eat all the chocolate unless he moves."

"Gotcha!" Turning on his heel, Virgil sprinted back off up the beach, Scott's phone clutched in his hand.

"30!"

"What?" Glancing down at Alan, Scott frowned at the wide grin on his brother's face.

"5 times 6 is 30!"

"Nice work, Sprout." Pushing aside his worry for Virgil and deciding to believe in the kid, Scott turned his attention back to Alan and the pair followed Gordon back up to the room.

The second the key was in the door, Scott felt his heart leap into his throat. The phone was ringing. All but pushing Gordon and Alan in, Scott slammed the door shut, dove across the room and snatched it up.

"Scott? It's me."

"I figured, who else would be calling. What's up?"

"It's John."

"What's he done?" Rolling his eyes, Scott wondered whether John was attempting an experiment on something. Probably how strong the rope holding the boats was or something like that. The thirteen-year-old didn't necessarily think of the consequences for everything around him when he got an idea in his head. Scott thought that Gordon was bad at setting up traps around the house, but he wasn't a patch on John. The worst thing was that John didn't mean anything by it, apart from finishing the thought of `_What happens if I...`_ It drove Scott mad, especially when it was their younger brothers being the guinea pigs.

"He hasn't _done_ anything as such." There was a hesitant note in Virgil's voice that made Scott inwardly groan even as he held out a hand to stop Gordon heading for the balcony. It turned more into a grappling match as Gordon tried to dodge him, but eventually, Scott had his brother by the collar once more.

"Scott, you there?"

"Sorry, Houdini here was trying to make another escape."

"Who IS that?" Gordon moaned, clearly not liking that he had been given a nickname that he didn't understand.

"I'll tell you later, now just sit down."

"Scott?"

"Sorry, Virg, go ahead. What's up with John?"

"He's not here."

For a split second, there was complete silence on the other end of the line. "_WHAT?"_

"Don't shoot the messenger, Scott. I just said he's not here. I thought maybe he had come up with you guys?"

"He's not here either." Scott couldn't deny that his heart was racing nineteen to the dozen as he watched Alan start to bounce on the bed again, getting Gordon to join in after only a few seconds.

"So... where'd he go?"

Scott could almost picture the look of confusion on Virgil's face.

"Virg, start walking back towards us. I'm taking Gordon and Alan to the play centre, then I'm..."

"We're."

"Excuse me?"

"I get you dropping those two off; we can't have the kids with us if we have to walk around this whole complex. But please, Scott, don't dump me with them. I want to help you find John. Let me?"

Scott froze, watching Alan and Gordon playing on the bed, his mind racing through possible scenarios as to where John had got to. He was certainly going to give the blond a piece of his mind when he found him, that was for sure. But the walking wasn't the only reason why he had wanted to drop the younger ones off. They somehow thought that he could fix anything - he didn't want them to see him freak out. That was what he had been hoping to make Virgil avoid as well, but would it be better to have two pairs of eyes out there rather than one? After everything Virgil had been through, everything he had had to put up with, was it really fair to make him stay behind?

"Please?"

That one quietly uttered word was enough for Scott. He nodded silently, then realised that Virgil couldn't see him.

"Okay," he whispered, then cleared his throat self consciously. "Okay, you can come with me. But promise that you'll do as I say?"

"Don't I always?"

Scott found that he couldn't argue against that. Virgil might go out of his way to cause trouble for Jeff, but he always did what Scott asked of him.

"Keep coming back this way, I'll meet you by the door we came out of earlier. Keep your eyes peeled and stay alert."

"Yes, Sir."

The phone line went dead, but Scott felt a smile pull at his lips. Maybe having Virgil along would make things easier. Scott's mind was going into overdrive about where John could have got to. His younger brother, however, was most likely going to have a lot of sensible solutions in mind that would stop Scott from worrying.

"Come on, you two, you're going to the play centre."

"YAY!" Gordon's protests from before were long forgotten. The centre was not one aimed just at littlekids, but at all ages. He had had the time of his life before, and Scott was just thankful that it would mean that he wouldn't protest. And if Gordon wasn't kicking up a fuss, neither would Alan.

Once more letting them go ahead of him, Scott pulled the door shut with a snap and sighed.

Time to find John.


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you so much for the lovely reviews, especially to those I can't respond directly to! They all mean so much to me, thank you!**

Scott had been right about one thing: John had indeed been staring off into space, not noticing the commotion going on around him now that his father had marched Oscar away. He couldn't even be sure what he was thinking about, just letting his mind drift in a way that none of his brothers could understand. If he was honest, John couldn't truly understand it either. Not many thirteen-year-olds could just stand there and zone out, but he had never been the most predictable of boys. His teachers had commented on that from a very young age.

"You lost there, boy?"

Feeling a hand settle on his shoulder, John jerked away violently, snapping himself back into reality and realising in one glance that the rest of the family had moved on. For a split second he felt a touch of hurt that they had just left him, but then realised that Scott would have had his hands full - Virgil would have still been shaken up from what had happened and the younger two never really noticed anything that didn't immediately affect them. Making himself think realistically, John pushed away the hurt and glanced up at the man who had startled him.

He couldn't say what it was about him that he immediately didn't trust. He had been speaking to adults for years, finding them far easier to address than people his own age. The man who had been talking to him about the marble structures when they had first arrived, for instance. John had had no qualms about letting the old man engage him in conversation, getting the sense that the gentleman was somewhat impressed to see someone so young take an interest in the architecture of the building. But this man had a smile on his face that didn't quite meet his eyes and he seemed to be looking around in exactly the same way John was. Almost as if he was looking around to confirm that there was no one else around... John found himself stepping backwards.

"Sorry, lad, didn't mean to scare you."

His voice was sending shivers up and down John's spine and he swallowed hard. He couldn't step backwards any further - the fight had meant that he was already on the edge of the decking. Another step back would send him into the lake. But judging by the fake friendliness in the man's voice - the sort of tone his father always warned him about - John was beginning to wonder whether that perhaps might have been the better option. At least that way, he could swim away.

"Who are you? Why are you talking to me?" John had never been one for tact, not knowing why people skirted around the subject they were trying to address, confusing everyone else in the process. It was far easier to just come out with what you meant, though it had landed John in trouble more than once.

The man took a step forward, effectively standing right in front of him, meaning that John couldn't move out of the way until the man let him.

"I'm a friend of your father's."

"Scott said that we shouldn't talk to strangers."

"Scott? That's your big brother, right? And you're John? Meaning that it must have been Virgil who that other kid pushed in. He looked like a Swinger; I heard the man was staying here... But I know both your brother and your father, so that doesn't make me a stranger now, does it?"

"Who are you?" John repeated, feeling a slight flicker of anxiety creeping into the pit of his stomach as he took a small step to the side, trying to work out whether he could slip past the man or not.

"My name is Mark. See, now we all know each other. Besides, your Dad sent me to check up on you."

"He did?" John blinked, surprised. He knew that his father was trying to make a difference and trying to prove that he was going to be there for them from now on, but he hadn't expected that. What the teenager didn't realise, however, was that his thoughts were playing out on his face. Cowlishaw softly grinned, realising that John was dealing him the hand he needed to not only play, but to win.

"Course he did, kid. He worries about you. You know, after your Mom and all of that, he doesn't like the idea of you being out here alone."

"He's never minded before." Instantly, John was back in defence mode, the mention of his mother making him not only wary, but angry as well. They barely spoke about her as a family - that was part of the problem. So for this man to just casually bring it up...

"Besides, he wanted your version of that little drama. He heard Scott, he heard the other kid. He values your opinion, John. So he asked me to get you to tell me all about it."

John didn't really register the wild swing of the conversation. Nor did he realise the man in front of him was watching him closely, trying to work out what would make him talk.

"I'm not talking to you without Scott," John eventually muttered, stepping forward and brushing past Cowlishaw. He hadn't quite expected the man to step aside so easily, thinking that he would have to fight. But Cowlishaw just moved smoothly to one side and let John move past him before falling into step with the teenager.

"I'm heading that way myself, mind if I accompany you?"

John didn't say anything, but merely quickened his pace. Unfortunately, being a thirteen-year-old against an adult meant that it didn't matter that he was bordering on running - Cowlishaw kept pace with ease. John's luck was really against him as he went via what he believed was the quicker way back towards his room, realising that Scott and Virgil would have gone there to get changed. But it meant that rather than staying on the open stretch of beach where the now rapidly-approaching Virgil would have seen him, John rounded a corner and shivered slightly as the looming buildings cut off the sun. There was no fancy artwork or marble architecture here, just the cold feel of grey concrete as John found himself walking through the outbuildings.

"Well this is a cheery place. What do you think, John? Isn't the main building a lot warmer, a lot more welcoming than here?"

"It has to be, they have important people there," John muttered, before frowning and mentally kicking himself. "I told you that I'm not talking to you without Scott. There is no way that you need to come this way; it only leads back to the rooms."

"And what makes you think that I'm not a guest here who has to go back to my own room?"

John glanced sideways at the man as he hurried along, his eyes taking in the casual shorts and tee-shirt, the worn out and practically falling apart sandals.

"You have to be kind of rich to stay here. You don't look it," he opted for mumbling quietly, unconsciously speeding up once again. Cowlishaw easily kept pace, barely even noticing that the child was trying to run away from him.

"Neither do you, Johnny."

"It's John," the blond in question scowled. This man might have been friends with his father, but that didn't give him any right to try and use a nickname that only his family used. Even his friends never changed it from just 'John'.

"But _you_ are, aren't you?"

"Are what?"

"Rich."

John stopped, staring at Cowlishaw with a frown on his face. Something really wasn't right here, although John wasn't quite sure what it was. Maybe it was the way Cowlishaw's eyes gleamed as he realised that he was getting a reaction, or maybe it was the way he was clearly trying to control where the conversation went, almost as if he was leading up to something, although what that could be, John had no idea.

"What makes you think that?"

"Like I said, I know your Dad."

The casual tone did nothing to fool John, and before he even realised what he was doing, he had begun to back up slightly. One hand was resting on the wall as he stared at Cowlishaw, and John let it drag along, guiding his way as he took a few steps backwards.

"My dad never tells anyone that we might have some money," John muttered, frowning in suspicion. He was sure that he didn't imagine the way Cowlishaw's smile suddenly slipped, or the way he quickly hoisted it back into position, once again seeming to glance around to make sure that there was no one around. John swallowed, suddenly realising himself that they were indeed alone and they most likely couldn't even be seen from the beach. He had effectively cornered himself, taking a route Scott wouldn't think of following.

"But this business deal is going to make him even more, isn't it, Johnny?"

"I don't know."

"Oh, I'm sure you do, kid. Come on, what do you say? Between friends? I'll buy you an ice-cream or something equally as sickly, and you tell me all you know about your old man's business deals? Between you and me, I doubt that will be a lot."

John flinched slightly as Cowlishaw practically sneered; his eyes flickering over John and making him feel every bit his age.

"You don't know my dad, do you?" the blond whispered, taking another step back. Unfortunately, he had been leaning on the hand resting against the wall more than he thought. As the wall finished, John felt his balance tip and before he could correct himself, he had fallen over. Wincing as he hit the hard ground, he could only look up as Cowlishaw walked forward until the man was all but standing over him.

"Oh, I know of him alright. And soon I will know him even better, not to mention allowing the whole world the exclusive on the great Jeff Tracy."

"You're a reporter!" John gasped, trying to back up along the floor. Why oh why had he gone this way, why hadn't he immediately taken the more obvious route back to Scott? He was so sure this had been a short cut, and yet all it had done was isolate him from anyone who could possibly help. His big brother was going to have a field day over this one - it wasn't normally John who landed himself in trouble. Yet now he had, he had done it more impressively than Alan, Gordon and Virgil put together.

"So it was right what they were saying about Scott being the brawn and you being the brains? Come on, Johnny, don't make this hard on yourself. All I want is a quick chat. You can do that, can't you?"

"Leave me alone!"

"Apparently not. Very well." Cowlishaw closed the gap between them, reaching down and grabbing John by his arm, dragging him to his feet. John tried to push against him, even tried kicking the man on the shin, but it did nothing as the reporter simply held on. He pushed John against the wall, letting go of his arm and taking him by the collar instead.

"Tell me what you know about your father and his business deals, and this will all be over."

"Go away!"

Cowlishaw sighed, almost looking regretful as he watched John struggling against him.

"Let me rephrase this. Tell me what you know about your father and his business deals, and I won't go after your brothers."

"They don't know anything," John said quietly, falling still in the man's grip even though his hands were balled into tight fists by his side.

"Then spare them the trouble of me asking and them having to tell me that themselves."

"You leave them alone; they are only children!"

"So are you, Johnny-boy. A child that wants so much to fit into the adult world. Wants so much to be noticed by his father, to have his brother truly respect him for how his mind works at thirteen rather than knowing Scott has no idea what you are talking about half the time."

"That's not true!" John cried, one hand now clamped over Cowlishaw's own as he tried to prise the man's hand away from him. "Let go of me!"

"Just tell me what I want to know."

"I don't know anything!"

"Are you sure about that?"

John's eyes widened in panic as he realised the reporter didn't seem to be believing him and had a slightly crazed look about him that seemed to imply that he would do anything to get the answers that he was after. The trouble was, John had no idea what those answers were.

"I swear, I don't know anything! Only that he is meeting with Arnold Swinger - and I only know that because we got stuck with Oscar!"

"See..." Cowlishaw's grip loosened slightly and then finally let go as he patted John on the cheek in a patronising manner. "You did know something. All you had to do was say that from the beginning."

"Leave us alone, you jerk!" John gasped, once again using the wall to support himself as he edged away from Cowlishaw as fast as his shaking legs would allow. This time, the man seemed content to watch him go.

"Oh, and John? Don't tell your father about this. Or I might decide that your brothers are worth a visit after all."

John stopped, staring at Cowlishaw in anger and a touch of disbelief. After all of that, he was still threatening to go after them? All rational thoughts were driven from his head as he took a running leap and threw himself at the man. The adrenaline left over from the fight with Oscar flared back into life and John didn't even think about what he was doing.

"You leave them alone!" he yelled, bowling the surprised man over. It didn't take long for Cowlishaw to quickly regain his footing and he grabbed John by the neck of his top, holding him face-first against the wall this time.

"Careful now, don't want any rumours to slip about Tracys' unruly kids. Tragic death of mother, father loses control and kids go wild. How long do you think it will take for the authoritiesto turn up to take your little brothers away from you?"

"Why are you doing this?" John tried so hard to hold the tears back, but never before had he been frightened like this. When his mother was in hospital, he had been terrified. But he had never been afraid for himself.

"Because I can," Cowlishaw whispered softly, sounding truly mad for a split second as he continued to hold John against the wall. The teenager struggled weakly, but fear was taking over and he knew the man was barely even feeling his struggles.

"John!"

Never before had John been so grateful to hear Scott's voice floating around the corner. Cowlishaw immediately backed off, hitching the friendly smile back on his face. It was clear that Scott was closing in on them and, if he was truly looking for John, then he would be rounding the corner within seconds. John couldn't stop a ghost of a smile spreading across his face. He should have known that Scott would have realised that John wasn't with the other brothers, then turn the hotel upside down looking for him if needs must. Cowlishaw looked calculating as he glanced between John and the corner, before suddenly stepping into the teenager's personal space again.

"Not a word about this, eh, Johnny-boy? Don't want me to have to start asking Virgil questions now, do you? From the beautiful tale I got from Scott and your father the other day, things aren't too smooth with your little brother right now. Don't want the boat to be rocked any more, right?"

John didn't have time to answer, only to swallow nervously before Scott came into sight and Cowlishaw stepped back.

"Where have you been?"

It wasn't Scott's voice asking the question though, but Virgil's, as he stepped out from behind Scott. "You are a jerk, you know that? Scott gave me one thing to do on my own, and you had to muck it up by not being there." Despite the fact that Virgil was moaning, his tone was light and friendly, a clear sign that he was just playing with his brother. It seemed that his dip in the lake had had no lasting effects and judging by the flushed look on both his and Scott's faces, they had been running around for a while now. John knew that Virgil would have been just as worried about him as Scott when they'd realised they didn't know where he was. But at the same time, Virgil would have also enjoyed the chance to be united with Scott doing something that no one could tell him was childish. The fact that they were already here made John realise the conversation must have been going on for longer than he thought.

Virgil moved forward, standing on tiptoes in order to attempt to cuff John over the head the way his older brothers often did to him. He nearly overbalanced trying to do it, but Scott didn't notice. He had only so much as glanced at John, frowning at seeing the evidence of tears on his brother's face, before his gaze had snapped back onto Cowlishaw.

"You," he said quietly, and John almost shivered at just how cold his big brother could sound. From all the hints that the reporter had been dropping, John had gathered that Scott and Cowlishaw had met before, and the blond wondered what the man had said and done to Scott to try and get information out of him. Not knowing when the meeting had taken place, John had no idea that their father had been there to step in.

"Hello, Scott," Cowlishaw responded casually, not looking the slightest bit surprised by the sparks flying from the older brother's eyes. Virgil's smile of relief faded from his face as he glanced between the two of them, automatically sidling closer to John. His brother, however, automatically took a small step away. It was nothing to do with not wanting to be close to Virgil, or to offer him the reassurance the younger boy was clearly after. But John had always needed his own space. Cowlishaw's threatening invasion of that space had shaken him more than he wanted to admit.

"What have you done to my brother?" Scott snarled, taking a step forward. Virgil noticed the way that his brother's fists were clenched behind his back and felt his eyes widen, glancing towards John. The thirteen-year-old, however, didn't seem to notice, looking almost pleadingly at Cowlishaw to not do or say anything that would get anyone hurt.

"Nothing. He was lost, so I thought I would show him a shortcut back to the rooms. Isn't that right... what was your name again?"

As Scott slowly turned to face John - although his reluctance to turn his back on Cowlishaw was more than obvious - the reporter raised his eyebrows, looking rather pointedly at the middle brother present. John opened his mouth, about to ignore Cowlishaw's threats and tell Scott everything, when he saw the man's gaze slide onto Virgil and slip into a more threatening expression.

"John?"

"It's exactly how he said," John muttered, studying his feet and feeling his cheeks flush. He was sure that Scott would have found a way to not be cowed by the man, that he would have dealt with it rather than just giving in. Scott frowned, taking a step closer.

"You can tell me, Johnny, you know you can," he practically whispered, making sure his voice didn't carry.

"Don't call me that!" Unable to stop himself, John shoved Scott away, tears once more back in his eyes. Cowlishaw was openly smirking now, and John was inwardly pleading with Scott to turn around and see it, to know that John was lying.

"Hey, man, I was just..."

"You always just try and help, Scott!" John was shaking now, he could feel it. He could also feel a couple of the tears spill over and trickle down his face, causing him to angrily brush them away with the back of his arm. Why couldn't he deal with things in the way Scott did? Why did any of this have to happen, why couldn't they rewind time to when Jack had been helping them get into the boats and they had been laughing together?

"John.."

"Just leave me alone!" Shoving past a stunned Virgil, John ran out from between the gaps of the buildings, blinking in the sunlight as he ran across the beach. This time, he truly was heading towards the room, but the blond didn't think of what would happen when he got there. He had no key, he had no way of getting in. But for now, he just had to get as far away as possible.

"What the hell did you say to him?" Whirling back around, Scott glared at Cowlishaw now that John's swiftly departing figure had vanished from sight. He hadn't seen John like that for a long time. In fact, the last time he had been that bad was in the days that followed their mother's death. It had taken their grandmother to get through to him then, but Scott knew that wasn't an option this time. He would just have to try to deal with things himself.

"Nothing I'm sure he hasn't heard before," the man responded casually, beginning to walk away. He made sure that he went in the opposite direction to John, though. The reporter thought he knew enough about Scott Tracy to know that the boy would go after his brother rather than following him. He didn't seem to be aware of the way Virgil had moved in front of Scott, using his smaller body to try and physically hold the teenager back.

"Don't give him what he wants."

"Get out of the way, Virg."

"Do you want me to walk off as well?"

Scott stopped struggling against the ten-year-old, blinking in astonishment at the sincerity of Virgil's words. He could tell by the set of his jaw that Virgil meant what he had just said.

Knowing that he had Scott's attention, Virgil pressed on. "John needs us right now... Will you just listen?"

The younger boy was forced to grab Scott's arm. As soon as he heard John's name, it was as if Scott went onto autopilot - the next thing that he needed to do was to check on his brother. But Virgil was glaring at him, even if he was chewing his lip in a way that meant he was uncertain about what he was going to say. The mixture of innocence and determination made Scott stop, giving Virgil a sign that he was going to hear him out at least. Goodness knows, the younger boy had had enough cases of people not listening to him lately; Scott was not going to make the same mistake.

"Sorry."

Virgil's glare deepened but he couldn't help but smile at the same time, inwardly feeling proud that he had made his brother listen to him.

"John needs us. But I don't think he is going to let us get close right now."

"He hasn't got a choice."

"Yes, he has." Virgil looked at the floor, chewing his lip more earnestly now. Scott frowned, stretching out a hand. He caught his brother's chin in his palm and tilted Virgil's head up until he was looking his brother in the eye. Scott blinked to see there were tears of uncertainty in Virgil's eyes. Whatever his idea was, it was more than apparent he wasn't sure whether it was going to work or not.

"What is it?"

"I think we need Dad." All of a sudden, Virgil's uncertainty made perfect sense and Scott tried to smile reassuringly. They didn't notice Cowlishaw backing swiftly off around a corner and vanishing from sight as the two brothers spoke.

"Great idea, kiddo. I'll go and get..."

"The kids," Virgil interrupted, his hands now twisting in the bottom of his almost-dry top. Scott blinked, opening his mouth to protest.

"Please..." Virgil made sure he got in first. "You go and get Gords and Alan. Let me get Dad?"

Scott looked like he was going to protest, but then he sighed. If Virgil was prepared to go to their father for help, did that mean he was beginning to trust the man? There was no way his older brother could deny him that chance, not when it meant everything he had been working towards for a year might finally be happening. Dropping his eyes, he nodded.

"I'm walking you there, though."

Virgil didn't argue, but just nodded, a small smile on his face as he set off towards where he hoped his father would be. Scott swiftly caught up with him and the two went as fast as Virgil could, practically sprinting along the beach. If John realised he couldn't get into the rooms, who knew how long he would stay there before finding somewhere else to hide? They moved fast, not wasting time in talking before they skidded to a stop next to the conference room. Through one of the glass sections of the door, they could see that their father was in there, his back turned to them as he argued with someone who – from their angle – looked like Swinger. Luckily, Oscar was nowhere to be seen.

"Are you sure about this?"

Virgil nodded, trying to hide how he swallowed hard at Scott's words. His brother gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

"I'll get the kids and take them to the pool. Come join me afterwards?"

Virgil nodded again, smiling in appreciation. He knew that John would not want him present whilst he spoke to their father (Virgil refused to think _if_ he spoke to their father!), but the young artist hadn't yet figured out where he was going to go. Scott's hand lingered for a moment before Virgil rolled his eyes and gave him a shove. He knew that his brother simply wouldn't leave if no one made him. Scott still hesitated, but eventually gave a short laugh and walked off.

Blowing out a deep breath, Virgil told himself that he was silly to feel so nervous. It was his father, what was he going to do? Apart from not believe him and shout at him once again? Pushing the thought firmly to one side, Virgil focused on the way both the man himself and Scott had promised that Jeff was trying. Raising a slightly trembling hand, he softly knocked on the door. For aftera long horrible moment, he realised that no one had heard him over whatever argument was taking place within, and had to bring himself to knock again.

This time, Jeff turned, his expression morphing from anger and frustration into worry at seeing his middle son standing there, looking like it was taking every inch of his courage not to bolt in the opposite direction. Waving a hand dismissively at Swinger's last words, Jeff crossed the room and opened the door.

"Virg? Son, is everything okay?"

"Ye- no." For a moment, Virgil froze, not quite being prepared to just open up to his father when he had spent so long hiding things_. _But it was not him that needed Jeff this time, it was John, meaning Virgil had to actually be honest with his dad for once. "Something happened after you left."

"Come and sit down." Placing a gentle hand on Virgil's shoulder, Jeff steered his son in and sat him down. Crouching in front of him, he let his hands rest on Virgil's legs as he looked at him intently. Virgil didn't know whether it was on purpose that Jeff positioned himself so he was mainly blocking Virgil's view of Swinger.

"What's going on?"

"We lost John. Don't worry, we found him again..." Seeing sheer panic seep into his father's expression, Virgil pressed on hastily. "But well, he was talking to this man and looked really upset. He swore nothing happened and just ran off. He's gone upstairs, but Scott was really angry at the man. I don't know who he was... And John..."

"Virgil." Jeff's soft voice cut through his son as Virgil began to ramble, getting upset as he realised that something had really shaken up John and there was nothing he could do to help.

"I haven't seen him like that since..."

"Since your mother died," Jeff finished softly, closing his hand over Virgil's when his son started playing with the bottom of his top again. "Come on, let's go and find him." Standing up, Jeff hesitated for a moment, before offering his hand to his son. Virgil too paused for longer than he would have done a year ago, before he tentatively smiled and slipped his hand into his dad's, hopping down from the chair.

"We're not done here, Tracy."

"Yes, we are," Jeff said softly. "Come on, Virgil." Pushing his son in front of him and out of the door, Jeff smiled down at Virgil's gobsmacked expression.

"Thank you."

"For what?" Virgil asked, confusion lacing his tone.

"For coming to me. I know that can't have been easy."

"It wasn't," Virgil admitted softly, making to draw away but finding his father tightened his grip and didn't let him. "But John needs you."

"I hope one day you'll need me again too," Jeff said quietly, and Virgil almost gasped, tears flooding his eyes. Did his dad really think that he didn't need him? Didn't he know Virgil would have done anything to have the man be the one to hold him when he was upset, yet hadn't known how to get through to the man and so had hidden himself away instead?

"I do, Dad," he whispered, and then told himself he was imagining things when his father glanced down at him with a soft smile on his face. After all, why on earth would that touch Jeff enough to make his own eyes water?

Hand-in-hand, father and son set off to try and make another member of their family happy again.


	10. Chapter 10

**Thank you so much once again for all of the amazing support with this, it means the world to me.**

If he had thought about it beforehand, Virgil would have gone straight to the pool rather than accompanying his father all the way up to the rooms only to immediately turn around and go back down again. John was there, sitting on the floor in between the two doors with his head buried in his knees.

Seeing his son's shoulders shaking slightly, Jeff quickly sent Virgil on his way, making sure that he watched his wording so that his middle son didn't feel like he was just being dismissed. But unlike every other time they had tried to communicate recently, it was taken the right way. Virgil shot John a long worried look before turning on his heel and all but running off. He seemed to realise that John would only look up when it was just his father present.

But even with Virgil gone, Jeff found that John wasn't reacting to him. He lowered himself down to the floor in order to sit next to his son, practically mirroring John's position. He wanted to reach out and pull his boy into a hug, the way he had done with Scott a few nights before, but knew that John wouldn't let it happen in the same way - he had to be the one to make the initial contact in order to allow it. As he waited for John to acknowledge him, Jeff couldn't help but smile slightly. Scott had seemed almost worried that his father wouldn't know what the boys were like as individuals any more, but there was no way he could forget. He might not have been as present in their lives over the last year, but one did not simply forget the defining character traits of their own sons. He still knew how to get through to John, perhaps even more so than Scott did. Which was why he made no attempt whatsoever to engage him in conversation, but just sat staring at the opposite wall. After a few moments he began whistling softly, an old song Lucy had used to hum to help John sleep.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see John stiffen, even though the young teenager still refused to look up. Seeing that John's hands hadn't clenched in the way they always did when he was distressed, Jeff continued to whistle gently, certain that it wasn't upsetting his son. Very slowly, John's head rose, and Jeff sighed at seeing the obvious signs of tears. John had been so strong over the last couple of months; Jeff had not only seen it with his own eyes but had heard from Scott how much help his immediate younger brother had been in dealing with the younger ones. Whatever had happened earlier had clearly pushed John over the edge.

"It's tomorrow night that you can see the meteors, isn't it?" Jeff asked casually, only glancing at John out of the corner of his eye to make sure that his son's head was still up. If John was hiding himself away, it meant that he wasn't going to let the world – or his father - in, and no amount of probing would get him to lower his defences until he was ready. Seeing that John was now copying him in staring at the opposite wall, Jeff pushed on, knowing that his son was listening despite the lack of eye contact.

"I was thinking that we could perhaps put Alan, Gordon and maybe Virgil in one room and you and me can sit out on the balcony and watch it together? I know Scott said he would see it with you, maybe he can join us? Or it can just be the two of you if you like..." Even by just watching John out of the corner of his eye, Jeff could see the small smile on his face. Not only had he proven that he knew how much the viewing meant to John, but also indicated that he was aware that his son would have had plans for it. Jeff wasn't sure whether the boys were just acting like they were accepting him whilst not truly being sure, but even he could tell that John's smile was genuine.

"What do you say to that, John?" Finally deciding it was time to address him directly, Jeff turned his head until he was facing his son. John almost seemed to stiffen, before slowly moving himself until he was looking his father in the eye.

"Yes, please," he whispered, and Jeff mentally kicked himself for forgetting how young his children truly were. They acted so much older than their age, it was easy to forget that John was still just a child. Jeff smiled down at him, and slowly reached out a hand, brushing away a tear. John looked like he was going to pull away, but caught himself at the last moment. His smile widening, Jeff backed off, not wanting to push it but knowing that he had to get some answers about what had sent John over the edge. He knew that Oscar had seriously wound him up - for John to lash out physically meant he had reached the edge of his tether. But there was no way he had been upset over it, not like this. It also didn't explain why he hadn't let Scott be the one to help him as he usually did.

"What happened, John? Why did I have Virgil coming to me in a state because he knew that you were upset, that you had run away from him and Scott and wouldn't talk to them?"

John immediately stiffened, beginning to climb to his feet, but Jeff reached out and grabbed his wrist lightly. To his surprise, John flinched. Instantly letting go, Jeff frowned as he pushed up his son's sleeve only to see an angry red mark on John's wrist.

"Who did this to you?"

"No one, it was an accident."

But Jeff knew when his son was lying to him, and the fact that John suddenly would no longer look him in the eye was not lost on his father.

"John, if someone has hurt you, I need to know. Was it Oscar?" Keeping his voice gentle but firm, Jeff made it clear that he was not finishing this conversation until he knew what had happened. Judging by the panicked look that shot across John's face, he knew it as well. At the mention of Oscar, he shook his head.

"Someone else then? Did someone approach you once the others had gone? Did something happen?"

"No." The shaking of John's head was almost frantic now and he attempted to swallow back the tears, but wasn't quick enough to do so. He finally made it up to his feet, one hand practically clinging onto the wall as he backed away from his father. Jeff frowned, slowly climbing to his own feet, but keeping his distance.

"What is it then, Johnny?"

"Don't call me that!" John yelled, and Jeff inwardly knew that he had just scored a point somehow. John had never reacted to being called that before, especially since it was his mother who had started it. Despite it being her pet name for him, John hadn't minded anyone else using it, even after her death.

"Who called you that then, son?" Jeff pressed, knowing it was something to do with whatever had happened. Yet for the life of him, he couldn't work out what had happened to make John this jumpy. The boy was glancing around, as if expecting someone to just jump out of nowhere and show that they had been listening to the whole conversation. Jeff almost gasped as he realised his thought processes. Someone _had_ done that to him - and to Scott. Someone had threatened to go after the rest of the boys in order to get a story, no matter what it took. Striding forward, Jeff swiftly unlocked his bedroom door, grabbed John's arm and pushed him into it, slamming it shut and relocking it behind him.

"Was it a reporter?" he asked bluntly, and John's eyes went wide. He glanced towards the door and back again, his hand rubbing over the mark on his arm as tears filled with eyes and he desperately shook his head again. Realising that it wasn't that John didn't want to tell him, it was because he was scared to, Jeff walked forward. Gently, he placed his hands on John's shoulders.

"He can't hear you in here. It doesn't matter what he has threatened to do, he'll never know. But I need you to tell me what happened, John."

"Nothing. Nothing happened! I don't know what you mean!"

Jeff sighed, looking into John's eyes and recognising the expression that was looking back at him. John wasn't scared for himself - there was a hint of protectiveness burning behind the tears. The father had heard what Cowlishaw had said to Scott about going after the others unless he got what he wanted. Jeff certainly knew enough about his boys to know that it was not only the eldest who was known to be protective; it was why they had all reacted the way they had to Oscar's actions.

"John." His voice was firm as he bent his knees, forcing his son to look him in the eye. "I know he is around. Both Scott and I have already had dealings with him."

"That's why Scott sounded so mad?"

"So it _was_ Cowlishaw?"

"He never told me his name," John whispered, sinking down onto Virgil's bed and running a hand through his hair. What was the point of hiding it when his father had completely figured it out? Jeff hesitated for a moment before moving in front of John once more.

"What did he want, son?" he asked gently, determined to get to the bottom of what it was that Cowlishaw was so desperate to get that he would take to stalking young children. He couldn't let John see that he was practically shaking with anger. Not only had this man interfered with his conversation with Scott, something that had been needed more than he could have ever realised, he had also physically hurt this child. John didn't get upset over nothing. Cowlishaw had clearly scared him.

"He wanted to know about your business deals, but I swear I didn't tell him anything, Daddy, honestly I didn't. I wouldn't..."

"It's okay, John." Resting his hands on John's knees, Jeff smiled reassuringly at him, trying to calm him down from where John was clearly working himself up. "It doesn't matter even if you did; there is nothing that he can do with that information. You had to say what you must..."

"Scott wouldn't have..."

"Scott punched him last time they met. I think that is why he hurt you..."

"Didn't..."

"Then what is the mark on your arm then, kiddo?" Jeff murmured softly, causing John to finally look into his father's eyes, seeing that the man wasn't at all angry that he had been talking to someone that he shouldn't have, especially considering reporters were one of the few typesof people that Jeff forbade them to have contact with even on the best of days.

"Why did he do it?" the young teenager whispered, wanting his dad to have the answers in a way that he hadn't for a long time. Jeff sighed. It was the thing he had been waiting for – for John to think that his father could solve the issue – but it had come about in the worst possible manner.

"Some people are just like that, Johnny."

John's bottom lip trembled and before Jeff could prepare himself, his son had thrown himself into his arms, crying. Somehow, Jeff knew this wasn't just about what had just happened, but everything.

"I want to go home! I don't want to be here where Oscar is all mean to Virg and Scott's still all stressed out because Alan just wants to do the same things as him and no one will leave us alone. Please, let's go home, Dad?"

"Shh," Jeff soothed, rubbing his hand over John's back and trying to calm the boy whilst fighting off his own tears. His anger had all but disappeared as he set about trying to calm John down. Apart from Cowlishaw, he knew everything else John had just mentioned was his fault. _He_ was the reason that John wanted to go home, that his son wasn't enjoying the holiday like he should have been.

"I'm sorry..."

"John," Jeff pushed John back, looking him directly in the eye and making sure that his voice didn't waver in the slightest. "You have nothing to be sorry for. Promise me if you see him again, you'll run as fast as you can in the opposite direction and come and get me? Don't go to Scott. He can't help with this one, do you understand?"

"But Scott..."

"He can't fix this one, son, I'm sorry. And I can't risk him punching that man again either. If you don't want Scotty to get into trouble, you'll promise that you'll come straight to me."

John swallowed hard against his tears and nodded. Smiling, Jeff straightened up, turning away and pulling out his cell. It was about time he put in a few calls with regard to making sure that Cowlishaw couldn't get near his boys again. He knew that it could wait until later, but he was also aware that John would want a few moments to pull himself together. At thirteen, bursting into tears on his father was not something that he was going to want made public knowledge. Scott would probably be able to tell, but Jeff was determined that the others wouldn't find out unless John wanted them to know.

It only took him a few moments to alert security and have the hotel promise that they would have him removed from his room at the first opportunity. It wasn't perfect, but it would have to do for Jeff turned back to his son, John had wiped his eyes and even managed to smile weakly at his dad.

"What do you say, want to join the others in the pool?"

John shook his head, looking up at Jeff beseechingly.

"Read with me? Like we used to?" he whispered, undisguised hope in his voice yet fear of rejection in his eyes. Unbidden, the image of John curled up next to him on the sofa, both of them engrossed in their books sprang into Jeff's mind and he nodded. It was one of the things that had always made him feel calm, at peace, despite his busy life. Sliding onto the bed, he patted the space next to him and John scrambled across with a smile.

Who knew, maybe it could still provide him with that sense of calmness?

TBTBTB

Things were far from calm down at the swimming pool, and Scott was beginning to regret bringing the others down. The place was absolutely packed. Virgil had caught sight of Vicky and some of the others from the art class as soon as he had arrived, meaning his older brother never got the chance to find out how things had gone with their father and John. But he knew there would be nothing that he could do, and that it was better Virgil was given the chance to enjoy himself. No one seemed to be doing enough of that so far during this break, so Scott just left him to it even if he did keep his eye on his younger brother just to make sure that he was okay. Gordon had swum off almost as soon as they had arrived, but Scott trusted him in the water, knowing that he would be fine. He himself had Alan down in the shallow end. Part of him wanted the chance to be able to properly swim, to ease out the tension the afternoon had brought. He could still feel the anger coursing through him at the fact that Cowlishaw had cornered John, and he wanted the release. But someone had to stay with Alan and there were too many people in the water for him to be able to do what he wanted anyway.

"Can we go yet?"

Scott jumped, not seeing Gordon swimming up to them. He had been on the other side of the pool a moment ago and Scott carefully splashed Alan before turning to his water-loving sibling.

"Did I hear you right? You want to get out? Who are you and what have you done with my brother?"

Compared to the playful splashes that he and Alan had been sending at each other, Scott was convinced Gordon tried to throw half the pool at him in response, causing him to cough slightly and shake his hair out of his eyes as Alan tried to hide the fact that he was giggling at his big brother's antics. Before Scott could even say anything, a smaller tidal wave crashed over him from the other side and he turned, eyebrows raised as Alan dissolved into giggles again. Lunging forward, Scott wrapped an arm around his waist – made easy by the water – and his fingers sought out ticklish ribs.

"Gordy! Gordy, help!" Alan all but screamed, trying to get free from Scott's grip. Scott couldn't help but smile, suddenly glad that there were so many people. There was so much noise anyway that it didn't matter how loud they were, no one could hear them. Gordon grinned, jumping onto Scott's back and attempting to push him under. All Scott had to do was stand up to his full height and both of his brothers were barely even touching the water. Lifting Alan slightly higher to make sure he didn't go under, the oldest brother then just sat down again, causing Gordon to be dunked under before he resurfaced, spluttering indignantly but his eyes shining with laughter. Scott grinned. Lately all he seemed to do with the younger ones was try and take their father's place, constantly looking out for them rather than simply being allowed to play.

Alan was squirming in his grip and Scott let go, causing the two youngest to immediately start racing each other. He had to hand it to Gordon. The child might have been seriously competitive on most days, but he was making sure that Alan at least felt like he had a chance. If he was honest, Scott wasn't sure _he_ had a chance against Gordon, but still found a fond smile making its way onto his face as he watched them.

But, as much as he was happy watching Gordon and Alan playing just as they should have been, Scott found himself glancing around for Virgil. The younger two hadn't had to see John so upset, they hadn't been forced to pluck up the courage to go and find their father. He had seen in Virgil's eyes how much he didn't want to do that. Scott had made Virgil promise to try and patch things up with their father, and felt more than proud that his younger brother was doing so. But it wasn't just the need to check on Virgil that had Scott scanning the pool. Something didn't feel quite right...

He located the group that Virgil had been with relatively quickly, seven ten and eleven year olds sticking together did cause a bit of a scene, even in the middle of a crowded pool. But Scott knew with one glance that Virgil wasn't with them. Standing up, Scott frowned as he let his gaze drift, searching the rest of the pool for his brother. It only took a minute to realise that Virgil wasn't in the water, but just before he completely panicked, Scott caught sight of a familiar head making its way back towards the water from the locker rooms. Sagging in relief, Scott managed to catch Virgil's eye and indicated that they only had another ten minutes before they had to get out. Virgil nodded, and Scott made to turn away, but something stopped him.

Out of the corner of his eye, another figure emerged, walking swiftly up to his brother. Oscar took Virgil by surprise as he grabbed the boy by the arm. Scott immediately felt his earlier anger shoot back to the surface.

"Come on, guys, time to get out."

Ignoring Gordon's protests, Scott simply grabbed him by the arm and practically pulled him from the water, knowing that Alan was following behind. He didn't take his eyes off the scene in front of him, though. Whilst the words might not have travelled, Scott had a clear enough view of both boys' faces to know that Oscar was say something mean and Virgil was trying his hardest not to react to it. Seeing the way Oscar's arm tensed, Scott sped up. Gordon groaned dramatically next to him and Scott was aware that his younger brother had caught on to what his older one had seen. They were almost running by the time they reached the pair, ignoring the shout of the lifeguard but reaching Virgil just in time. Oscar shoved him, clearly intending to push him in, when suddenly Scott was there, steadying Virgil with one hand and glaring down at Oscar. Showing the first bit of commonsense Scott had witnessed since they had met the spoilt child, Oscar suddenly looked a little nervous.

"Think you can start getting Al dried off?" Scott didn't look away from Oscar as Virgil nodded, taking Alan's hand and beginning to lead him away. "Gords, go with them."

Gordon nodded, taking a few steps after them before turning with a smirk. Scott knew in an instant what he was about to do, but for once smiled and stepped to one side as Gordon cannon-balled himself into the water, completely soaking Oscar as he did so. The boy looked like he was going to say something, but Scott's glare was back in place and he seemed to realise that meant he should keep his mouth shut even as Gordon swiftly pulled himself out of the water and disappeared after his brothers.

"Shall we?" Scott gestured towards the locker rooms himself, a smile on his face that by no means met his eyes, but which reflected the cold and icy tone in his voice. Oscar glanced around, but clearly saw that no one was about to come to his rescue as Scott grabbed his arm and all but marched him in. But they didn't reach the main room, instead, Scott stopped them in the cool corridor leading to it. Pushing Oscar against the wall, he rested his arm across the boy's chest, pinning him there.

"You'll pay for this!" Oscar spat, trying to dislodge the older boy, but he was no match for someone five years older. Scott grinned.

"Who's going to make me? You?"

"Yes! My father has men!"

"Oh, now I'm scared," Scott mocked, standing back slightly and smirking, but making sure that Oscar's way out was blocked.

"And what do you think your father's men can do to me that won't just have him taken to court? They'll only do what your Dad tells them, Oscar, not you. And they can't touch me, and you know it. So stop with the big words."

"Or what? At least I have threats to give out."

Scott found his grin widening, and even had to laugh at the fact that his completely relaxed attitude was clearly unnerving the boy. Oscar was used to people all but bowing to him, not throwing his threats back and laughing at them.

"At least I have people to carry out mythreats without fear of consequence," Scott muttered quietly, and Oscar frowned.

"No, you don't. Your Dad doesn't have security."

"Maybe not. But did you not see what Gordon just did to you?"

"He got me wet, big deal," Oscar scoffed, and Scott leant in closer, the ice once more back in his voice.

"Gordon immediately reacted to you upsetting his brother. Alan told you that you were mean. John would have been quite happy to pummel you into the ground if I hadn't been there to stop him. All because you hurt Virgil. No adult will interfere in a kids fight, it's a common occurrence."

Oscar opened his mouth, clearly determined to make some scathing comment, but Scott wasn't done.

"And what makes you think that it is just my family you have to worry about? Virgil has all those friends in the art club. They won't let you get close, and I hear artists can be very... _imaginative_ when they feel threatened. All Alan has to do is scream and you'll be banned from half the facilities in this hotel, a Swinger or not. John is good friends with a few of the older gentlemen here, I don't think they will like your arrogance or your scathing tongue. And you must have seen the girls by the pool. You know, the gorgeous older ones?"

Scott didn't wait for an answer, knowing that somehow Oscar was going to stay quiet this time.

"They think it's cute when a guy has to look out for his younger brothers. And some of them have boyfriends. Older boyfriends. One I heard was a marine. Imagine what he could do to you if his girlfriend told him to. Apparently they can make someone simply disappear... I wonder if that is true? All I would have to do is give the word... And trust me when I say that you don't want to get on Gordon's bad side."

Finally straightening up and backing off, Scott grinned at the shocked expression on Oscar's face. It only lasted seconds before he hastily tried to cover it up again, but Scott had seen enough. He knew that he had got through to the child.

"So if you want to make threats, go ahead. But make sure that you have the army to back it up with. Me?" Scott locked eyes with Oscar pointedly. "This is me warning you, Oscar Swinger. Stay away from my brothers. If you don't... well, let's just say that I do have the army to back me up. Money may get you some places, but friends get you all of the way." Leaning forward, he patted the younger boy patronisingly on the cheek in a way that he knew Virgil absolutely hated, then walked into the main part of the changing rooms, whistling happily as he did so.

Alan and Gordon seemed to be fighting over various items of clothing, neither having made much progress in getting changed. Virgil, however, was ready to go, but frowned up at his big brother as Scott emerged looking cheerful.

"What did you do?"

Scott grinned, ruffling Virgil's hair.

"I taught him the meaning of empty threats."

"Scott, Dad won't like..."

"Dad has enough other things to deal with," Scott said firmly, glancing at Gordon out of the corner of his eye. "Or have you forgotten John? Dad has adult stuff to deal with that we have to stay out of. Well, why shouldn't it work the other way? He handles the adult stuff without us, we'll handle the kid stuff without him."

Virgil bit his lip, still looking uncertain. Rolling his eyes, Scott grabbed a towel off Gordon and dragged it through his hair.

"Let's just say, if it worked, you won't have Oscar bothering you again. And if it didn't... Well, let's just say I think it worked."

Despite trying to look disapproving that Scott had been up to something, Virgil had to grin. He should have known that there was only so far Oscar would be able to go before Scott put a stop to it. That was the handy thing with over-protective big brothers. They tended to act like that - overprotective. Virgil knew well enough himself how tall Scott could suddenly seem if he was angry, bigger than even their dad. Not used to having older siblings, Oscar wouldn't have known what had hit him.

Virgil had to grin at the thought.


	11. Chapter 11

**Thank you so much for the lovely reviews once again, especially those I cannot respond directly too.**

Despite grumbling about it the whole way back to the room, Virgil couldn't get Scott to open up about what he had said to Oscar. His curiosity was only fuelled further when they had met the boy in the corridor, but he had only pushed past, deliberately bumping into Gordon as he did so, but doing nothing else. When Virgil had glanced towards his big brother, he had seen a self-satisfied smirk on the older boy's face, and redoubled his efforts to find out what had happened.

Somehow, Scott had fended him off all the way up to the rooms. They went straight into Virgil's room, but Scott clamped his hand over Gordon's mouth the second they stepped through the door. John was curled up on the bed with their father, but whilst Jeff may have been gazing into space, his hand was stroking through John's hair methodically and the child had fallen asleep. Gordon pulled away, but the point had been made and he stayed quiet, causing Scott to ruffle his hair. Virgil found himself frozen, watching the scene with wide eyes. When he had gone to fetch his father, he didn't know what he had been expecting. Scott might have forgiven the man for all but abandoning them, but John was always so much harder to read. Virgil had honestly had no idea how his brother would have reacted to their dad being the one to try and sort out their problems again, but seeing the sight in front of him... No self-respecting ten-year-old would ever admit to crying, so Virgil just sniffed in the opposite direction.

When his father's phone had beeped, he had thought that John would awaken and they would be back to a scene that was more familiar to the boys. Considering Virgil knew he had pulled his father away from a meeting when he had declared something was wrong with John, he was expecting the man to say that his time was up, to act as if the boys were just clients again, that he had done his time and now had other matters to attend to. Virgil's arms folded and he glared in the opposite direction as Scott handed the device over. Virgil had to admit to strongly resisting the urge to just grab it and throw it out of the window. Why was it so much more important than...

His thoughts had died right there as his father had simply switched it off, announcing that he had wanted to do that for the last hour but hadn't been able to move in case he woke John up. Scott had smiled, sitting on the chair and pulling Alan onto his lap whilst Gordon wandered out to the balcony, craning his head up. Virgil knew without having to be told that he was thinking back to what Jack had said about climbing around the hotel using the railings on the edge of the balconies.

Virgil, however, hadn't had the chance to decide what to do before his father had gently woken John up. The entire family went down to dinner together and, for the first time since they had arrived, it went peacefully. There were no uncomfortable silences, no rows or even glares, unless Scott glaring at Gordon for stealing a spoonful of pie counted. The most eventful thing that happened was Alan almost falling asleep, but considering the day they had had, it was not surprising. Even Gordon fell quiet by the end of the meal and Virgil was desperately trying not to yawn out loud.

For his part, John was wide awake. Seeing that Scott, too, was more relaxed than he had been for a long time now that it was apparent his immediately younger brother was alright, Jeff had granted the two of them permission to stay up later and had taken the younger three to bed. Virgil was so worn out that he couldn't even find it in himself to protest. Normally, he would have fought against his father, claimed that he wanted to stay with the olderones, but he had promised that he would try and do his part towards patching up their relationship. If he was honest, though, that was just the excuse he was going to use if anyone asked. In reality, Virgil was just tired.

But it did mean that he got the best night's sleep he remembered having for a long time. Everyone else had been tired as well and the boys slept late into the next morning. Jeff had to go out for a business meeting, but considering how much he had put on hold over the last few days, even Virgil couldn't find a reason to complain as Scott led them all down to breakfast. Still half-asleep, Virgil only grunted his understanding that they were going their separate ways after they had eaten. He had already decided that he wanted to go back to the beach again. Not only was his picture beginning to take form properly now, but the rest of his small group of friends were down there as well. They had all agreed to meet there during their afternoon's fun in the pool the day before. As soon as Vicky had said she would be there, Virgil had agreed, not even thinking that his family might have had other plans.

Fate, however, was on his side for once, and it wasn't long before he had the sun on the back of his neck and the sand scrunched between his toes. The seven of them had all positioned themselves together. Most of the time, they were quiet, absorbed in what they were doing, but when comments were made, they were normally those of an artistic nature. For his part, Virgil couldn't remember the last time he had felt this relaxed. He had no younger brothers ruining what he was doing, no father pretending to care whilst doing something else, just people who truly understood what he was talking about when he casually made a remark about a brush stroke. Vicky was particularly eager with her praise, and Virgil knew the red tinge that kept gracing his cheeks had nothing to do with the sun.

"But it's stupid!"

Virgil shut his eyes with a groan. He knew that voice. Why hadn't Scott's threats done more to keep Oscar away? Blowing out a long breath, he slowly turned around, only to blink in surprise. Initially, the first thought that had crossed Virgil's mind was that Oscar was here deliberately, trying to make more trouble for him. But considering a large man – Virgil was sure he had seen him hanging around Swinger, almost like a bodyguard – had the boy's arm in a tight grip and all but flung him at a stool at the back of the group, Virgil had to frown. It didn't look like Oscar wanted to be there anymore than Virgil wanted him there.

"If you aren't here when your father has concluded his talks, you know the consequences."

Virgil was sure that his mind was playing tricks on him, that it was the change of the lighting as he finally looked away from the bright sunshine. But for a split second, the young artist could have sworn that Oscar paled slightly. With one final glare, the man strode away, and Oscar turned, catching Virgil's eye.

"What are you looking at?" he spat, anger and vindictiveness in his voice. Virgil simply shrugged and turned back around, immediately engaging the others in conversation to try and block out the burning glare he could feel boring into the back of his head. If Oscar didn't want to be here, that was fine by Virgil. He wasn't going to let it be his problem, not when he was having fun.

For a long time, he managed to ignore the bitter boy behind him. It didn't matter how many grains of sand ended up down his back, nor how many drops of paint landed on his neck - Oscar seemed to be spending his whole time flicking things at Virgil. But Virgil knew that Scott would be proud of him when he didn't so much as turn around, didn't rise to Oscar's baiting in the slightest because he knew that was what the other boy wanted. After an hour or two, Oscar finally seemed to get bored of not getting a rise out of Virgil. Eventually glancing over his shoulder, Virgil had to smile softly at seeing him with a paintbrush in his hand, actually looking like he was concentrating on something.

Of course, whilst Virgil might not have been reacting, some of his new friends had, and Oscar was as filthy as Virgil. Not realising this was just proving what Scott had said the day before, Virgil couldn't find it in his heart to make them stop. It wasn't as if _he_ was doing anything, therefore his father had no reason to be cross with him, plus it meant that Oscar wasn't simply getting away with what he had been doing.

"Virg, that's awesome!" one boy – Ben – exclaimed, leaning over Virgil's shoulder to watch as the brunet put a few finishing touches to the part he was working on. Virgil simply shrugged, not able to keep the small smile of pride off his face. It was nice when someone actually meant what they said rather than just knowing they had to say it.

"I've done better."

Ben let out a whistle of disbelief.

"You shouldn't go to school, you should just sell all of these. How old are you, dude? Ten? Imagine what you'll do when you are grown up if this is what you can do now! Guys, c'mere, you have to see what Virg has done!"

Virgil went bright red as half of the class suddenly seemed to be gathering around his easel, and he squirmed, trying to push himself as low in his seat as possible. He was half-expecting some scathing comment to come from behind him, Oscar, claiming that he could do twice as well and that he had already sold hundreds of paintings, but all was silent. When Vicky had finally stopped pointing out everything she liked about it (not that Virgil was in any mood to stop her - in fact, as soon as she started talking, he found that he was sitting up straight again, attempting but failing not to look too pleased with himself), Virgil finally looked around at Oscar.

The boy wasn't even looking at him this time, instead hunched over his own canvas and glaring at it. But the glare Virgil was used to receiving from the boy was not the one his picture was getting. This seemed to be a look of sheer frustration, anger at the world for him having to be here. Virgil started slightly, ignoring Ben and the others as they began to go back to what they had been doing. It was the same look _he_ had been giving everything that his gaze had fallen on recently, believing that the entire world was responsible for taking his mother away and for making his dad forget about him. Oscar's glare wasn't directed at anything in particular, but at everything. He truly did not want to be there.

Biting his lip, Virgil came to a decision. He couldn't deny that he felt almost a flicker of understanding for Oscar. Not that it by any stretch of the imagination had made him warm towards the boy, but he did know how it felt to be angry at the whole world. Considering the words the bodyguard had uttered before, Virgil also had a feeling it was the boy's father's fault that he was feeling like this. It was another thing that Virgil could appreciate, and he found that he couldn't just let it go. Ignoring Vicky as she asked where he was going, he slowly crossed over to Oscar. It took a moment for him to work up the courage to do this, but he stepped forward until he was standing next to the other boy. Virgil couldn't help wincing at just how bad Oscar's painting was. It seemed all the flicks of paint that he hadn't managed to throw at Virgil had landed on the canvas in front of him instead. There was certainly no talent there.

"You know, twist your hand slightly on the brush, it will give you a smoother stroke," Virgil muttered quietly, watching as Oscar moodily stabbed his brush at his painting again. The other boy froze, throwing down the brush in a way that made Virgil flinch and turning to face him, eyes burning.

"Who asked for your help?"

"I just thought..."

"You're _so_good, you thought you would show everyone else up, is that it?"

"You know what? Fine." Virgil took a step backwards. All he had tried to do was help. Art was the one thing that he was confident enough in to be able to do so. But if Oscar was going to take it that way and just carry on being his usual self, then Virgil wasn't sure why he'd bothered. He thought that he had recognised something in Oscar, but it appeared not. The boy was simply pushing everyone and everything away. If this had been their first meeting, Virgil might have pressed on, determined to try to get through Oscar's defences. But he knew what the child was like, knew what he was capable of. He might not have known precisely what had happened between John and that other man, but he did know that if Oscar hadn't acted the way he had, events would not have unfolded in such a way that allowed that confrontation to happen. In Virgil's mind, Oscar was not only responsible for pushing him in the lake, but for John being hurt as well. That meant he had no patience with the boy.

"Be like that, I really don't care anymore." Virgil turned away and stalked back to his own friends, kicking slightly at the sand as he did so. He was determined that the event was not going to spoil his good morning, yet he just couldn't understand it. If Oscar stopped being such a brat, he could actually enjoy things. Ben had no talent with a brush either, but that hadn't stopped him having a good time, laughing with his friends. Virgil simply didn't understand why a ten-year-old boy would deliberately try to alienate himself. It went against everything that Virgil tried to do, and it was the same with all of his friends. They tried their hardest to blend in, not stick out.

Ignoring the fact that he could feel Oscar's stare on him again, Virgil didn't turn around for the rest of the session. He was _not_ going to let Oscar ruin any more of his morning. The time went too quickly for Virgil's liking, though, and it wasn't long before they were packing away for lunch. Most of the others were doing things with their parents that afternoon, so Virgil knew that if his brothers wanted to continue on their own separate ways, he would probably end up on his own. Not that it really bothered him - he would be able to get a lot done alone - but whilst his friends sped off for lunch, talking excitedly amongst themselves, Virgil took his time packing away. He didn't want to be the first one there and have to wait on his own for the rest of his brothers to arrive.

By the time he had finished packing away, taking care to check that everything was dry and clean in case he did want to use it again that afternoon, Virgil was the last one left. Or so he thought. Turning around, he could see that Oscar hadn't moved.

"You have to clean the brushes up properly," Virgil said softly, knowing that he was probably going to get snapped at for even thinking of opening his mouth, but not wanting the equipment to get damaged through Oscar's sulking. "You won't be allowed back if you don't do it properly."

"Good. Don't want to come back here anyway, it's stupid!" Oscar practically snarled, and Virgil almost took a step back at the sheer bitterness in the boy's voice. But then something stopped him. Oscar's voice might have been fuming, but there could be no denying that there were tears in his eyes. Virgil didn't know what to do – somehow he didn't think Oscar would like the fact that he had noticed.

"Why did you stay then? You were so happy to tell me about how you had control over the whole place before," Virgil sniped back, trying to keep his temper but finding that it was becoming harder and harder every time Oscar opened his mouth.

"You've got your father to thank for that," Oscar growled, glaring at something over Virgil's shoulder. The artist could only suspect that it was because of the tears still lingering in his eyes that Oscar would not look at him directly. He hadn't known what Jeff had said to Oscar's father, but he had seen the look of indignation on the man's face when he had interrupted. It was clear Jeff had said something about him not being able to control his son, or that Oscar needed to do as he was told or there would be consequences. The look on Oscar's face seemed to imply that his own father had had words, and the child was not happy about being put in his place. Virgil couldn't help but wonder whether the man who had escorted Oscar over had only been there as a result of that conversation. After all, it was clear Oscar had been allowed to go wherever he had pleased before this.

"You mean to say that you actually do what your dad tells you?" Virgil mumbled, a slight smile on his face. Even _Scott_ didn't always do what Jeff told him, despite the consequences normally meaning that it wasn't worth it. The last time Virgil had been caught out at home, he hadn't been allowed pudding for a whole week - it had been hell. Yet sometimes, the thrill of being a rebel was too much to resist. Considering how confident and arrogant Oscar had been before, Virgil found it hard to believe that he did as he was told simply because it was his father who told him to. Oscar, however, didn't answer, but looked away, his hand rubbing over his arm. His eyes drawn to the action, Virgil gasped, stepping forward.

"Who did that?" Just noticeable under the sleeve line of his tee-shirt, was a red mark on Oscar's arm. Unbidden, Virgil suddenly remembered the way the bodyguard had pulled Oscar along to the class and his threatsabout him knowing the consequences if he wasn't there when the man got back. "Was it that man?"

"Go away."

But despite Oscar's voice being a growl, Virgil still stepped forward. "He's not allowed to do that. Scott told me, no adult is allowed to hurt a child. No matter what the situation, they simply aren't allowed."

"Get lost, Virgil, nothing happened." It had to be one of the first times Oscar had used Virgil's name, and the artist found himself taking another step closer, his heart thudding hard. Oscar lashed out, his hand colliding with Virgil's chest and throwing the boy to the floor. Gasping, Virgil just sat there, but he didn't look away from Oscar. This explained so much.

"You should tell my dad."

"And what is he going to do about it?" Oscar spat, folding his arms and glaring in the opposite direction. Virgil jumped to his feet, angry.

"You know, if you weren't so rude, we could have helped you. My brothers would have let you hang around if you weren't so nasty. But every time you act like this, you are only hurting yourself. Do you think it bothers me how you talk to me? I have four brothers; I've heard it all before. But it does bother me when you upset them, or when you make my father think that I can't be trusted because you are a horrible little liar."

Turning on his heel, Virgil walked off. He was still going to tell his dad what had happened, but if Oscar wasn't prepared to do anything about it, then that wasn't Virgil's problem. He had experienced firsthand what happened when the child didn't get things the way that he wanted, and was not going to risk another family argument, not when things were finally settling down again. But a small noise from behind made him stop and twist his head back. Oscar had finally got off his stool, scuffing his feet in the dirt and looking everywhere but at Virgil.

"Can he really help?"

Virgil smiled, turning back again. He walked softly over to Oscar and put his hand on the other boy's shoulder.

"Yes," he said simply. For the first time in however long, he had complete faith and trust that Jeff Tracy would know what to do. The mark itself wasn't bad - he had received worse from Gordon over the years - but Virgil knew it was the principal of the matter. The man might work for Swinger, but it didn't mean he could do that. Virgil knew this was a matter way beyond him, and even beyond Scott. Once again, he would have to go straight to Jeff and, this time, he didn't mind.

"Don't touch me." Oscar pushed Virgil away angrily and began walking off. "And hurry up, I haven't got all day."

This time, Virgil couldn't help but laugh. It seemed even the idea of getting help wasn't enough to stop Oscar being a brat, and wondering what might do it only made Virgil laugh even harder. Somehow, he knew precisely what would stop the other boy being so mean. No one stood a chance against his grandmother, no matter how tough they thought they were. Virgil had no doubt that even that bodyguard wouldn't be able to get so much as a word in if she had anything to say about it. As he jogged to catch up with Oscar, Virgil wished that she was here - she would know what to do.

There was an uncomfortable silence between the two boys as they all but ran. Every time one of them quickened their pace, the other would match it or go slightly faster. Neither of them wanted to be in the other's company for any longer than they had to, regardless of the fact that they were heading towards the same place. Oscar was still bitter, occasionally bumping into Virgil deliberately as they hurried along, just to make the other boy lose his balance. Virgil, however, didn't say anything or retaliate in the slightest; he just regained his footing and carried on. Now was not the time for taking it further, he knew that.

They had reached the hotel once more and were running down the corridors, when Oscar shoved him again. This time, Virgil hit the wall, wincing as his shoulder collided with it, picking himself up and glaring. Sighing, he swiftly ran after Oscar, not wanting to have to be the one behind. He didn't make it very far though. It only took him a few steps before he was almost level with Oscar, but a door to his left suddenly swung open. The boys jumped separate ways in order to avoid being hit by it, and Virgil stumbled slightly as he lost his footing, hitting the door and falling over. Trying to climb to his feet again, Virgil twisted his head around to see who had opened the door so abruptly, and gasped.

It was a man, of that much Virgil was sure. But he was wearing some sort of mask, one that didn't have any defining features on it, but which seemed to just be all black. It obscured the man's face and made his breathing sound heavy, almost laboured, and Virgil felt shivers run down his spine as he tried to get back to his feet again.

"Right on time, boys." The voice was horribly distorted and muffled from behind the mask, and Virgil shuddered.

"Run!" Not even thinking about the fact that he had spent all morning arguing with Oscar, Virgil could only think about getting them both away from there. Just as he made it into an upright position, a hand grabbed his arm.

"Stop!" There was a commanding note in the voice this time, but Virgil wasn't about to listen.

"Go!" Finally tearing free, he made to run off again when the hand caught him by the back of his collar. Choking as he was pulled back, Virgil scrambled desperately, trying to get the figure to let go. But then he caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of his eye and fell still. He didn't even need to turn his head in order to see properly, for he could feel the cold muzzle of the gun being pressed against his throat.

"I said stop."

Virgil shivered, not only in fright, but just at how the voice came out. It was obvious that this was not how the man truly sounded, yet it was nothing short of terrifying.

"Get my..." Virgil was yelling again, but then there was a hand over his mouth, muffling the sound. Biting down hard, Virgil struggled. "...Dad! You have to get my...mph!" This time, the hand covered his mouth firmly, and it didn't matter what Virgil did, it wouldn't let go again. Virgil tried yelling out, struggling against not only the man, but the urge to burst into tears as he was pulled backwards into the room. The man pushed him away as suddenly as he had grabbed hold and Virgil fell, landing on the floor hard. The man was between him and the door, but this time, the ten-year-old couldn't bring himself to get up again, not considering there was still a gun being pointed at him. Biting down hard on his bottom lip, Virgil tried to hide the fact that he was shaking.

"Come here." The voice was addressing Oscar again, and Virgil realised in a split moment of clarity that this wasn't random. Why on earth would whoever this was make sure that he had both of them if it was just a spontaneous act? It wasn't as if either of them knew who it was. Rather than running whilst he had the chance, Oscar had clearly frozen, locked to the spot and unable to move.

"Please, I'll do whatever you say, don't hurt me. Please, please, I'll be good. Please..." Oscar had done what Virgil had fought not to do and had immediately burst into noisy sobs. Despite himself, Virgil found himself rolling his eyes as he tried to push himself up off the floor, only to wince as his wrist suddenly throbbed. Clutching it to him with a soft cry, he realised how red it already was. He must have landed slightly awkwardly on it.

"Shut up." The man reached out as soon as Oscar had taken a step closer and pulled him in. Pushing him over to where Virgil was struggling to keep himself sitting up, he waved the gun at them both.

"And do exactly as I say."

"Please, I don't want to die. Please just let me go. Keep him if you want, I won't tell anyone, just... Please..." As Oscar stood there and sobbed, Virgil managed to lift his chin defiantly. Ignoring the cries coming from the boy next to him, he locked eyes with the man...or at least, with where he thought the man's eyes were.

"My dad," he said slowly, defiance pouring from him. "Is going to kick your ass."

There was a hitch in Oscar's sobbing as he stared at Virgil. For his part, Virgil was just trying not flinch as the man bent down. He didn't even have time to push himself backwards before there was the sharp scratch of a needle. He just about heard Oscar's high-pitched scream as their attacker then turned on him, but Virgil didn't see anything after that. Instead, a warm and sleepy filling flooded him, and he didn't even have time to register that he should be fighting it before he slumped.

**Dum de dum...**


	12. Chapter 12

**Thank you so much for the amazing support with this story so far, it means the world.**

Virgil could hear crying coming from just over to one side of him, but stubbornly refused to open his eyes. He had been awake for some time, and judging by the noise, so had Oscar. He knew their attacker must be around, yet the solid door made it apparent they weren't getting out even if he wasn't. The one time that Virgil had let his eyes crack open slightly, his heart had almost jumped out of his chest in terror. His hands were tied around the leg of what he assumed was some kind of desk. Despite the drug making him feel groggy and sick, he had still tried tugging at it but it hadn't so much as given a millimetre and he knew that there was no getting out.

"Shut up!" the distorted voice hissed, and Oscar's sobs hitched even as Virgil felt his heart pounding. Had the man been in here the whole time, just staying quiet and watching from out of Virgil's sight, or had he come back and the ten-year-old just not heard him? Either scenario caused Virgil to struggle against his own emotions as a couple of tears slipped silently down his face. Hearing a yelp, Virgil decided to risk it and opened his eyes a fraction, just enough to see what was going on. Compared to last time he had looked around, things were in his line of sight now. He could see the man's legs from where he was standing just to one side, and he could just about make out the form of Oscar on the floor, bound to the other end of the desk in the same way that Virgil was.

But as he blearily watched – mildly wondering how Oscar could be so loud considering he had been drugged after Virgil and the artist thought that his head was going to explode – the attacker crouched down. Judging from what Virgil could make out, he was untying Oscar. But whereas Virgil would have instantly opted for the struggling option, Oscar did the opposite. He stayed limp and still - until the man reached for him. Then he screamed as loud as he could, even making Virgil cringe slightly. Immediately, the man clamped his hand over Oscar's mouth, and Virgil could see by the way that Oscar's whole body was shaking that he was sobbing again.

"Do as you are told and you won't get hurt."

The sobs died down as the man straightened up. He grabbed Oscar by the arm and jerked the boy to his feet, his hand wrapped tightly around Oscar's upper arm. Whilst he was unable to make out the kidnapper's face thanks to the hideous mask, Virgil could see how utterly terrified Oscar was looking. If he was honest, he wasn't feeling any better himself, but was just trying harder to hide it. Having four brothers meant he had become rather good at hiding how he was feeling - it was the easiest way to avoid awkward questions. Pulling on that talent now, Virgil tried to offer Oscar a reassuring smile from where he was still tied down on the floor.

"Get in!"

Both Virgil and Oscar blinked, the former twisting his head around awkwardly to see what was being gestured at. Virgil's eyes widened in astonishment as he saw what appeared to be an ordinary cleaning trolley. Only the man had clearly modified it, for rather than the empty space below in order to store the products, there was what looked like a big wooden box. One side was drawn up, but Virgil could make out where the flap would just slot into place again, sealing the box and whatever was inside. Virgil swallowed hard as the man shoved Oscar forward.

"No..." Virgil whispered hoarsely, trying to implore Oscar to fight back, to do something. But the boy seemed frozen, and grabbing hold of the scruff of his neck, the kidnapper simply threw him in. Immediately, the side slotted back into place and Virgil was forcibly reminded of an animal trap as the man let the bright white cloth fall back into place. Once again, it looked like a typical cleaning trolley, no evidence obvious that it was anything more than it seemed. For a long moment, the masked face was turned towards him and Virgil tried to stare impassively back even as he swallowed back tears and tried to stop himself from shaking.

"I'll be back for you. Make a single sound, and you'll regret the day you were born. There is no way out of here, no one to come to your rescue, you hear me? Don't make it hard on yourself." The figure stooped down, checking the ties around Virgil's hands. Satisfied that Virgil wouldn't be able to pull himself free, he then used his foot to roll the boy over. Virgil had been curled on his side, giving him a limited vision of the whole room, but the man pushed him over onto his stomach. Whilst it gave him a better view of the far side of the room, Virgil realised that he had no way of seeing the door. He could only watch as the trolley disappeared from his eye line and the door clanged shut behind him, making it clear that he was now left on his own.

It took a great deal of effort, but eventually, Virgil managed to sit himself up. He knew in the back of his mind that the man would have had to take the mask off in order to be able to move around the hotel without arousing suspicion; it must have been why he turned Virgil away from the door. For a few moments, he just tugged fruitlessly on the bindings, desperately trying to break when it became apparent that he was going nowhere, Virgil just leant against the desk. Struggling hurt, his wrist was already throbbing at him and he had no desire to make it worse when it wasn't helping to free him. He felt exhausted, and knew it was only partly because of what the man had given him. The other part was thanks to being absolutely terrified and not having a clue what to do about it.

Even sagged against the desk, Virgil was still letting his eyes roam the room. When he realised what it was he was seeing, he sat upright with a gasp. He had assumed it would be just another guest room that they were in, but he was wrong. It looked like it had originally been a storage room, nothing more than a glorified closet. But the man had clearly put it to good use. Monitors surrounded Virgil, all showing different scenes. For a long moment, Virgil couldn't work out what it was he was watching, but as someone casually strolled into sight on one of the monitors, he started in surprise. Sure enough, they soon moved out of sight then reappeared on another screen. As he watched the process repeat again and the figure appear on yet another monitor, Virgil realised what he was looking at.

The man had somehow tapped into the hotel's security system. Letting his gaze flicker across the different screens, Virgil swallowed hard when he saw the one monitoring the corridor leading in from the beach. No wonder the man had been ready for them, he had probably been watching them the second they came into view. He would have known how fast they were going, which route they were going to take... and they had walked straight past his door. As one of the cameras rotated apparently of its own accord, Virgil couldn't help but let out a whimper. Art wasn't the only thing that he liked to do in his spare time, he followed John with his love of things mechanical. How many times had they taken apart one of Scott's remote control planes then put it back together again without him realising? Somehow, Virgil knew what the man was doing. He wasn't just monitoring the cameras, he was somehow controlling them.

In the pit of his stomach, Virgil knew that there would be no evidence they had disappeared. Somehow, the man would have fixed it so that no one would ever see what had taken place in the middle of the corridor. The boys simply would have entered one end of the corridor... and never come out again. The police (he was sure by now that someone must have realised that he was missing) might even find this room, but considering what had just happened with Oscar, Virgil knew he wouldn't be there when they did. Realising that this might be his only chance, Virgil decided to take a leaf out of Oscar's book. Opening his mouth, he yelled as loudly as he could:

"Help! Help me! Please! Somebody help me!"

TBTBTB

"Where is he?" Scott muttered under his breath, his grip on Gordon's collar being the only thing that was keeping the child still. They had been waiting for twenty minutes for Virgil to show up for lunch, and he still hadn't arrived.

"Hungry!" Alan whined, tugging on John's hand. As with Scott and Gordon, John's grip was the only thing keeping his younger brother standing in the same spot, especially considering Alan was beginning to get annoyed with the fact Virgil had simply not appeared when he was so hungry. Scott sighed, running a hand over his face. He knew that he had to act now, or things would get out of control. A few of the people in the restaurant had already thrown them dirty looks, a clear sign they had already been witness to one of their family dramas and were now expecting another. Handing Gordon over to John with nothing more than a warning look, Scott glanced around him one last time.

"Take those two and get food, don't wait for us."

"Where are you going?" John asked, his hand already being tugged at rather forcibly as Alan picked up on the fact he would be allowed to eat soon.

"To find him."

"Scott?" The oldest brother had only taken a few steps when John's voice called him back, a small smile on his face. "You know how he loses track of time when he is painting. Don't be too hard on him if it means that he was having a good time."

Scott rolled his eyes but grinned at his brother, staying put for another couple of moments as he watched John take the other two to join the queue. He knew that he was lucky his thirteen-year-old brother could handle the two younger ones, but right now, it was his other younger brother that he was concerned about. Beginning to walk off, he caught sight of a familiar figure with what looked like her parents.

"Vicky! Hey, Vicky." Hurrying over as the girl turned and smiled at him, Scott could only offer a weak one back. "Sorry, didn't mean to disturb you, but have you seen Virgil?"

"He was still on the beach when we all came in. That horrid boy was with him, but Virgil was just packing away. I would have thought that he would be in by now."

"Thanks." Hurrying away again, Scott had to remind himself that he was supposed to be annoyed at Virgil for losing track of time, no matter what John had said. The ten-year-old had sounded so worried the day before when they had realised that John was no longer with them, Scott would have thought that he would have been the first to arrive so he didn't have to go through it again. But at the same time, he couldn't help but reflect on John's thoughts. If Virgil had lost track of time because he was having a good time, then who was Scott to complain? Even so, he wasn't sure whether it was to do with just being a big brother or it was because Vicky had mentioned that Oscar was there, but Scott couldn't shake the feeling that something else was wrong. He didn't know what, couldn't put his finger on anything that implied this was anything more than Virgil losing track of time, yet his speed was increasing as he sped towards the beach.

Deciding to take a risk, Scott didn't go the route he knew that Virgil would have gone. Instead, he went a quicker one, knowing that he would be able to get to where his brother had been painting in half the time. If Virgil wasn't there, then he would return to the others down the corridor Virgil would have taken, knowing the chances were that he would catch up. But if his brother was still on the beach, especially if Oscar was there as well, Scott simply wanted to get there as quickly as possible.

He had just made it out into the sunshine when he ran into someone – almost literally – who had him groaning.

"Shouldn't you be gone before my dad personally throws you out?" Scott muttered under his breath, not wanting to look Cowlishaw in the eye. The man simply chuckled.

"Shouldn't you be gone before he grounds you for talking to me again? I'll be gone in my own time - rich men's threats with security should never stand in a journalist's way, or we would never get a story. But hate to burst your bubble, kid, I'm not interested in you right now. Young Jack has given me a new story to follow for a while: playboy son of millionaire turned do-gooder? Too interesting to pass up, so you run along now."

Glaring at the patronising manner of the man, but thankful that his eyes were turned in a different direction for now, Scott simply gave him a filthy look and ran off. Maybe he would mention to his father later that Cowlishaw was going to attempt to go after Jack. The young man had been so friendly, and Scott didn't want anything bad to be spread about him just because Cowlishaw wanted a story. At the same time, it was nice to know that he would be able to go and find his brother rather than having to fight off annoying reporters. Thinking back to the scene with John the day before, he was just thankful that Virgil wasn't having the same experience now. Scott wasn't sure his father's warnings would have been enough to stop him from punching Cowlishaw again. But pushing the thoughts of the reporter out of his mind, Scott settled for continuing to run towards the place where Virgil had last been seen.

It took him almost no time at all to reach the beach. He knew with one glance that Virgil had been there all morning; he recognised his brother's artwork even if he didn't understand it himself. But whilst Virgil's painting might have been there, there was no sign of his actual brother. Frowning, Scott glanced about him, wondering whether there was anyone about who could have said how long ago it was that his brother had left. There was no one there, but Scott's eyes fell on some of the footprints in the sand. It looked like Virgil had walked over to whoever was painting behind him, but judging by the scuffled sand, someone had fallen over. With a growl, Scott realised it must have been Oscar and the spoilt boy had lashed out at Virgil again, despite Scott's warnings.

He had just made to turn on his heel and go to find the pair when something else caught his eye. Whoever had landed on the floor had stood up again, and walked off. But the footprints that Scott was assuming belonged to Oscar had gone as well. Blinking, Scott crouched down, trying to make sense of what he was seeing. Why on earth would Virgil and Oscar walk off together? Unless Oscar was playing at something again... but Scott was sure that Virgil could hold his own against the bully. One ludicrous thought crossed his mind about them deciding to go off somewhere together but Scott laughed it off. This was _Oscar_, after all. Virgil wouldn't go anywhere with him.

"I'm going to kill that little brat when I see him."

Scott jumped at the dark voice and he turned to see Swinger's bodyguard standing directly behind him. The man must have at least been good at his job, for Scott hadn't heard him coming in the slightest. He was glancing around the area in the same way Scott had done when he had first arrived, and the teenager could only assume that he was looking for Oscar. In complete contrast to Scott's expression of worry that he didn't know where Virgil was, the man looked positively livid.

"I think he might have gone somewhere with my little brother. I'm looking for them now if you..." Scott didn't even have the chance to ask if the man wanted to join him in looking for them. At the back of his mind, he was already thinking that the man might be able to locate them if he knew how to search for someone in a way that Scott did not. But before he could say anything else, the man had closed the gap between them and grabbed Scott by the front of his shirt. Stumbling, Scott didn't have time to lash out until he had been pushed backwards, the man pressing him against one of the canvas frames and leaning in.

"Then find them. And tell the brat that his father is disappointed, so if he knows what is good for him, he'll be in his room in ten minutes." As suddenly as the man had arrived, he backed away again, moving fluidly as he strode off. Blowing out a long breath, Scott straightened out his shirt again, pushing himself upright and wincing as his back ached slightly in protest. What the hell had that been about? His eyes falling back on the footprints and where the boys had left together, Scott sighed. For the life of him, he couldn't figure out why they had gone together. Unless...unless Virgil had seen something and wanted to help Oscar. It was a bit of a leap, Scott knew Oscar was not the type to accept help. Yet at the same time, he was just a ten year old. Maybe Virgil had got through to him somehow...

With that thought firmly lodged in his head, Scott started to try and tack the prints. By the way the footprints changed in spacing, Scott could tell they had been altering their speed several times and he felt his grin widen. They may have been heading towards the same destination, but Scott couldn't help but think they certainly hadn't been going anywhere together, not properly.

Following them as fast as could, Scott had just reached the cool entrance of the corridor that would ultimately lead back to the restaurant when he heard a voice calling his name. Turning on his heel, he saw his father emerging from one of the conference rooms at the far end. Walking slowly over, Scott suddenly felt a lot younger than his age for the first time in a very long time at the sight of several of Jeff's business associates.

"Everything okay, Scott? I thought you and your brothers would be having lunch by now?" Resting a hand on his shoulder, Jeff frowned as he glanced down at his son. Scott simply shrugged.

"Virgil hasn't turned up so I thought I would go and find him. Dad, something happened though. Glancing around to make sure that Swinger wasn't in earshot, Scott told his father about his encounter with the bodyguard. Jeff's face was like thunder by the time he had finished and his hand tightened on Scott's shoulder. He steered him into the conference room, demanding a word with Swinger as he did so. Just before the door shut, Scott glanced down the corridor. It was empty.

Hoping that it just meant Virgil had already reached the others, Scott allowed himself to be pushed into a chair, swallowing as he looked up at the two men in front of him.

It was harder to say who looked more furious, his father or Swinger.

TBTBTB

"Please..." Virgil's voice was hoarse as he found himself leaning against the desk leg again. His shouts had long since been reduced dramatically in volume and his last plea had come out as nothing more than a whisper. Left alone and tied to the table, he had been unable to stop the tears spilling down his cheeks, hating the way he couldn't brush them away with the way he was tied.

Someone had to realise that he was missing by now, surely? Scott would notice when he didn't turn up for lunch, and then he would go all the way out to the beach in order to see if he was still there. Virgil suddenly sat up straighter, his mind whirring. Whether it was on his way out there, or on the way back, Scott would come down this corridor, knowing it was the route that Virgil would have taken. His brother could be walking past at this very moment and Virgil was just sitting there.

"Scott!" he screamed, pulling against the ties around his wrists once again. "Scott, help me! Can anyone hear me? Somebody! Scott! Help, please, somebody!"

"I thought I told you to stay quiet."

Virgil's breath hitched erratically at the sound of the distorted voice coming from behind him and he knew that the man was back, mask in place, even without turning around. Even so, that didn't stop him from glancing over his shoulder and Virgil felt a couple more tears escaping him as he pulled desperately on the rope. The man growled – a sound made positively alarming by the mask –and stepped forward. In one movement, he had pulled away the bindings, and it was only then that Virgil saw the trolley was also back in position. Oscar, however, was nowhere to be seen.

Waiting until he had been untied, Virgil kicked out at the man, his foot colliding with the kidnapper's stomach thanks to the fact that he was still crouching down. Taken by surprise – it wasn't as if Oscar had put up much of a fight - the man toppled backwards slightly, and Virgil took his chance. Jumping to his feet, he leapt over the man's grasping hand and ran for the door.

His fingers closed around it and he had just made to pull when a strong arm wrapped around his waist and he was lifted away from it. Grabbing hold of the handle, Virgil tugged frantically even as he was being pulled away, but the door wasn't budging. It had clearly been locked, yet Virgil didn't want to let go, anchoring himself on it. Kicking out, Virgil struggled desperately in the man's hold. The man simply snarled, one hand closing around Virgil's wrist and gripping it so tightly that Virgil let go of the door with a cry, the throbbing sensation from earlier only , the man let go of his wrist and wrapped both arms around Virgil's waist, lifting him clean into the air and walking backwards, away from the door. Despite the fact that he managed to get a few lucky kicks in, Virgil's flailing legs did nothing to make the man let go as he was pulled across the room.

"Let me go!" Virgil yelled, pushing with both hands at the arm around his waist, doing all that he could to get out of the hold. But with his feet not touching the floor, there wasn't a lot he could do, and out of the corner of his eye, he could make out the man doing something with his other hand. In a way, it was the indignity of being restrained with just one arm that lent Virgil another wave of strength and he drove his elbow straight back into the man's stomach. Pushing with his free hand at the arm wrapped around him, Virgil wasn't quite sure how he managed to wriggle free, but his feet were suddenly on the floor. He wasted no time and once again ran for the door.

"Scott!" Even Virgil could hear how his scream ended in more of a sob as the man moved behind him once more. Grabbing hold of the handle, Virgil tugged as hard as he could, his whirlwind mind hoping that the lock was suddenly just going to give, or that his big brother would come kicking down the door like the hero did in all the movies, a locked door meaning nothing to him. But the man didn't grab him around the middle this time. Instead, one hand closed around Virgil's wrist. With one sharp tug, he yanked him away from the door, twisted Virgil's arm behind him and pushed the ten-year-old to his knees.

Whereas Oscar's sobs had been dramatic and almost attention-seeking – a clear sign that he was used to getting his own way – Virgil's tears were silent and fast, pure terror and the pain lancing through his arm making him finally lose the self-restraint he had managed to keep hold of all of this time. He shook his upper body, trying to get the pressure reduced on his arm, but the man had a good grip and had clearly had enough.

"You're a bit of a fighter, aren't you?" he growled, keeping Virgil pinned with one hand whilst the other moved around. In his hand, a piece of cloth rested seemingly innocently, and Virgil could only frown in confusion as his attacker held it over his mouth and nose. Out of instinct, he made to hold his breath, something telling him that this wasn't going to end well. But whilst his mind was telling him to do one thing, his body was saying something else. He accidentally sucked in a sharp breath, and all the fight instantly left him. The man let go of his arm, and Virgil collapsed to the floor. He was still conscious, but it was as if all the strength had been drained from him and he could do nothing but lie there as the man stepped over him.

Seeing him pick up the same piece of rope that had tied him to the desk, Virgil whimpered as the man rolled him onto his stomach again. This time, he pulled Virgil's arms behind him and tied his hands behind his back, ignoring the tears coursing down the boy's cheeks. Satisfied that he was securely bound, the man stood up, leaving Virgil on the floor as he took a step towards his trolley.

Flicking back the cloth to make sure that it wasn't in the way, he reached behind him and grabbed Virgil by the back of his collar. Virgil tried to struggle and call out, tried to do anything, but nothing happened. He barely even had the strength to flinch as he was dragged forward. The man pushed him into the small box, and the terrifying mask was the last thing that Virgil saw as the side once more slotted back into place and left him in the darkness.

Feeling the trolley begin to move, Virgil wondered whether Scott would realise what happened, or whether their father would just think that he couldn't be trusted again. His limbs not responding to him, his hands tied behind his back and his voice hoarse, Virgil didn't even have the strength to try and stop himself from crying.


	13. Chapter 13

**Thank you so much once again for the amazing support, it means the world.**

Scott was sitting on the floor in the middle of the corridor, leaning back with his hands resting on his knees, staring into space. His father might have asked him nicely to just step outside, but Scott knew a dismissal when he heard one. He had told Jeff all that had happened with the bodyguard, slowly watching his father's face cloud over. Whilst he knew that his dad might have been distant of late, there was no way he was going to put up with anyone hurting, or even threatening to hurt, one of his sons. Scott also knew that whilst Jeff realised Oscar's true nature now, the man was going to make sure that the child was not being harmed in any way. Swinger's face had clouded over and he had looked like thunder when he realised what Jeff was implying, and that was when Scott had been all but thrown out.

Deciding to stick around just in case they wanted to know something else (not that Scott knew anything, he was mainly just curious to see what would happen), the teenager had slid down onto the floor, beginning to get bored of waiting. It didn't help that he was hungry. He just hoped that John had done what his older brother had asked of him and got the younger ones food by now. If not, no doubt Alan was having a full blown tantrum. Gordon would simply sulk and Virgil... Scott blinked. He should have gone back to the restaurant, he should have checked that Virgil had turned up. He had seen the prints in the sand, knew that Virgil had walked away swiftly from where he had been. If Oscar was with him, Scott knew his brother would have tried to get back to them as fast as possibly, not wanting to be left on his own with the brat. No doubt he had lost track of time when painting, and then all but run to meet the others, meaning that Scott had most likely just overreacted and they had simply missed each other by going different routes.

But even as he heard the voices in the room behind him rise yet again, Scott shifted. It wasn't anything to do with the fact that it was so uncomfortable sitting on the floor, but something else. There was something he couldn't put his finger on, something that didn't feel quite right. Telling himself it was just the bodyguard shaking him up more than he would ever admit to anyone, Scott sighed, the boredom growing. He wondered what the others were up to - probably wondering where he had got to.

For a moment, Scott thought that he was imagining things, that he was hearing things just because he was thinking of his brothers. But as he sat up further, he couldn't help but smile. There could be no denying that was Gordon's voice floating down the corridor, accompanied by Alan's. He couldn't hear anyone else, but he knew John. There would be no way that his brother would have let the younger ones run off on their own, meaning Scott was just assuming that the other two were with them.

It was Gordon who Scott saw first, bounding around the corner, his face lighting up in a grin when he caught sight of his big brother. As Scott began to slowly stand up, Gordon's smile slipped slightly and he glanced around, as if looking for something, or someone. Alan came into view next, but judging by the way that his arm was bending back slightly, he was holding someone's hand. Sure enough, John appeared barely a split second later. Scott frowned, stepping forward even as John came to an almost comical stop. Both waited a beat, then they looked at each other.

"Where's Virgil?"

They spoke simultaneously and Gordon's smile immediately vanished, somehow picking up on the note in their voices.

"You said he was with Scotty," Alan stated, glancing up at John and frowning, he too somehow realising that something was happening.

"I thought you must have found him when you didn't come back," John said slowly, the colour beginning to trickle from his face as he stared at his big brother. Scott simply stared back, the nagging concernthat he had been noticing for some time almost seeming to give a throb, as if proving that was what had been troubling him for this entire time even if he didn't realise it.

"He had already left, heading back this way. I thought that he would have reached you guys by now."

John shook his head, letting go of Alan's hand and running his hand through his hair. The youngest brother immediately ran to Scott, wrapping his arms around his waist.

"Virgie's okay, right, Scotty?"

Scott couldn't answer though, only stare at John.

"So if he is not with me, and he's not with you guys..?"

"Dad?" Gordon asked, his eyes going wide as he realised that none of them knew where his big brother was. Again, Scott shook his head.

"Dad's in there with Swinger," he muttered, jerking his thumb over his shoulder and indicating where he knew a furious argument was taking place. "Something happened when I went to find them, something with Swinger's bodyguard."

"Them?" John questioned, his frown deepening.

"I think Virg is with Oscar."

"But he's mean," Alan whined, glancing up to the older ones. Gordon's face clouded over slightly when Oscar was mentioned, and if he hadn't been so worried about Virgil, Scottwould have found it amusing. It seemed that the seven-year-old hated Oscar perhaps even more than Virgil did. It was unusual to see Gordon anything less than cheerful, but he could quite frankly look alarming when he wanted to.

"Alan's right," Gordon said in an uncharacteristically quiet voice, chewing on his lip as he sensed the anxiety shoot between his two older brothers. "Virg wouldn't go with Oscar, he is horrid."

"Maybe something changed."

"Maybe Oscar didn't give him a choice," John muttered darkly, crossing over Scott's attempt to be reasonable. "Scott..."

"I know, I know. We need to find them."

"No," John argued, shaking his head obstinately. "We need to find Virgil. _Before_ Dad realises that we don't know where he is."

Scott nodded his understanding. Things had finally begun to improve between his father and Virgil. The last thing he wanted was for Virgil to be somewhere he shouldn't and all the healing they had been through to be set back again. Scott didn't answer John verbally, but knocked softly on the door and stuck his head inside. It took him seconds to tell his father that he was going to join the others. He didn't want to lie, but he knew that John had a point. They had to make Jeff continue to trust Virgil, and if the ten-year-old was just playing up, it wasn't going to help. Besides, Scott told himself firmly as he shut the door again and turned to find the other three watching him closely, why worry the man if it was just a misunderstanding?

"Split up?"

"No." Scott was used to taking charge of the situation when it involved the younger ones. "Stick together, we don't want to lose each other as well, this place is huge."

"So where do we start? If Oscar has forced Virg to go with him, they could be anywhere."

"No they won't," Gordon suddenly responded, a grin on his face as he glanced up at Scott. "If Oscar had to force Virg, it would mean that they would be going somewhere they weren't supposed to. Anywhere obvious, anywhere that they could be seen, I bet they aren't there."

"Right." Scott didn't notice that he was pacing up and down the corridor in front of them as he tried to think about where Oscar would take his brother. Unbidden, a memory of one of their first meetings with Oscar sprang into his mind. The very first time he had got Virgil into trouble was by being somewhere he shouldn't be. "Let's start with the casinos."

He tried not to groan at seeing Gordon's face light up at the idea of being somewhere forbidden and just reached over to take Alan's hand. Glancing over at John, he saw his brother chewing on his lip in the same way that Gordon had done when they had realised that they didn't know where Virgil was. The redhead went bounding back down the corridor the way they had come, acknowledging Scott's yell to not go too far with a wave of his hand. Alan was simply clinging onto Scott's hand. With his free one, Scott reached over and squeezed John's shoulder lightly.

"Don't worry, kid. We'll find him. This place might be huge, but I bet even Oscar wouldn't dare leave it. Here, he has money and a name. Outside the hotel, he must know that no one would give a damn who he is. No, they are still on the grounds, I'm sure of it."

"I know," John said simply, beginning to walk off. If Scott was sure of something, then that was good enough for John. "Let's just please find him?"

It was only then that Scott realised how much their father's behaviour had affected John. The thirteen-year-old had always kept himself to himself, so no arguments had occurred in the way they had with Virgil. But John was almost desperate that Jeff didn't find out anything that could potentially land Virgil in trouble. In Scott's mind, that could only mean that the pair beginning to make up was having a profound effect on John. Kicking himself for not realising it sooner, Scott pulled Alan forward swiftly, determined to get the hunt for their missing brother started as quickly as he could. It seemed once they had found Virgil and come up with a good enough cover story, he was going to need to have a chat with his immediate younger brother. He had known how much John had been shouldering, helping Scott out as much as he could, but Scott had never really considered just how much it had been playing on John's mind. His brother had a way of hiding things. But it appeared that whatever had happened with Cowlishaw had shaken John up more than he was going to admit if he was letting his defences down.

First though, he had to find his missing sibling before he could sort out the other. Striding past John to try and catch up with Gordon, Scott had to admit one thing. If his father did start fulfilling his role as their dad properly, the way he was trying to, Scott was going to miss being the sole one the others turned to.

TBTBTB

Virgil swallowed hard against the dryness in the back of his throat, struggling not to cough in case anyone was around to hear him. The last thing he wanted was to draw attention to himself, especially considering what had happened the last time he had gone against his kidnapper. He had been awake for some time now, only just plucking up the courage to open his eyes. He could feel that his hands were still tied behind him, but from the fact that the floor under him seemed stable, he knew that he was no longer in that trolley. The journey over to wherever they were now had felt like the longest time of his life, not even being able to call out. He'd realised by the way the surface had changed that they had left the hotel, but then he had passed out. He didn't know how long they'd been moving for, meaning all in all, Virgil didn't have a clue where he was, and it was terrifying him.

"Virgil? Are you awake?"

In response to the frantically hissed voice, Virgil simply groaned. He curled his legs up to his chest more, trying not to twist his hands as it caused the rope to rub and hurt. He didn't particularly want to have to deal with Oscar right now, but realised that he probably had very little choice. Slowly, he opened his eyes and glanced about him.

There was certainly nothing to indicate where they were. It was a small room they were in, the very solid-looking door being the first thing that drew Virgil's eye. But he knew in a glance that there would be no getting out of it, the lock was sturdy and strong-looking, and something told him that if the hotel closet had been locked, then this one would be double-locked. Apart from that, there wasn't really anything else in the room, just a bar that ran along one wall at about waist height. There weren't even any windows, meaning Virgil had no idea if they were in the middle of another building, or if the wall was the only thing that separated them from the outside world. Craning his head awkwardly over his shoulder, Virgil sighed. The other half of the room was just as bare as the first.

Eventually, he stopped his examination of the room and looked towards Oscar. The boy was standing over him, a worried look on his face that he tried to cover up when he saw that Virgil was focusing on him.

"He told me you fought back and that was why you were all tied up. You shouldn't have fought, then we could have escaped."

"You're not tied up," Virgil muttered, trying to use his bound hands the best he could in order to sit himself up. Oscar's voice had used to make him shudder, realising the boy could be the one thing that truly drove a wedge between him and his father. But considering the distorted voice that had come from the man and the way he had delivered his threats, now Oscar sounded nothing more than annoying. Whether it was because of his own fear or just because he had grown used to hearing Oscar, he could now detect the fear in Oscar's voice. So instead of reacting to his words, Virgil just shot him a withering look that he knew that Scott would be proud of.

"So?"

"So you could escape, surely?"

Oscar blinked at him even as Virgil managed to get himself leaning back up against the wall, sighing in relief when he could lean back, even if it did cause his hands to dig into his back. He winced, once again jarring his wrist and trying not to cry out. He wasn't going to give Oscar the satisfaction of knowing how much it hurt. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Well, I just thought, it's... You seem like the escaping type, not me. And now you're all tied up."

"Then untie me," Virgil shot back, wondering if there was perhaps a compliment hidden in Oscar's previous words that the boy hadn't realised. It seemed he had been automatically waiting for Virgil to come up with something that would get them out of this.

"I can't. He said if I did, that... that he would kill me."

Virgil didn't answer for a long moment. If their positions had been reversed, he wasn't sure whether he would have risked untying Oscar. They had no idea what this man was capable of, and considering the casual way he had drugged them more than once already, Virgil thought that perhaps it wasn't such a good idea to risk his temper, not until they at least found out what he wanted. Virgil was almost convinced that he wouldn't make good on that threat though. Why go through the effort of getting them out of the hotel if he was simply going to kill them?

"Why do you think I'm the escaping type?" Virgil asked, partly curious and partly because he didn't want Oscar freaking out too much about the man's previous threat. If he was completely honest, Virgil was just using Oscar as an excuse. If he could keep himself focused on the other boy, it would stop him thinking about how he had just been drugged, tied up and taken from practically under his father's nose. It also stopped him thinking about how long it would take the others to notice that he was nowhere to be seen. If it was just his father he had to think about, he might have panicked, thinking that Jeff was so caught up in business meetings that he wouldn't have noticed. But then he took a deep breath, forcing himself to think of his brothers. Scott would notice.

Oscar shrugged, sliding down the wall until he was sitting next to Virgil, although both boys made sure that there was space between them. They might have been stuck in there together, but that didn't change anything. Just like they had refused to be friends when their fathers had thrown them together, they refused now as well.

"You have four brothers. You must want to get away from them."

Virgil glanced out of the corner of his eye at Oscar, blinking in surprise to see that there was no bitterness or mockery in his expression. Instead, he looked like he was contemplating something, sad almost.

"Not as much as you might think," Virgil answered quietly. He couldn't help but think about the way the bodyguard had been behaving before. If that was a regular occurrence, no wonder Oscar wanted to be on his own. "It's nice, you know. Having people there, people that you know will always be there no matter what you do to them." The last part of his sentence was said rather pointedly as he glanced at Oscar once again. The other boy had gone out of his way to make Virgil's last couple of days hell, and even despite the circumstances that they now found themselves in, he couldn't find it in himself to forgive him for that. If he hadn't hung back to talk to Oscar, maybe they wouldn't be in this situation. Not that he was blaming Oscar - even Virgil knew this one couldn't be pinned on him - but he just didn't know how he should be reacting.

"I'd find it annoying."

"I bet." Virgil looked ahead as he spoke, but couldn't resist glancing at Oscar out of the corner of his eye. Oscar did exactly the same at the same time, meaning that for the first time since Virgil had woken up, they made direct eye contact. Oscar gave a tiny smile, something that for once wasn't degrading or cruel, just someone who was in way over their head and didn't know what to do. Despite his previous thoughts, Virgil found himself returning it before sighing, leaning back further on the wall and letting his eyes scan the room once more. He was desperately looking for something that he might have missed the first time around, something that would give him even the smallest flicker of hope that they would be able to get out of there.

There was nothing.

"Lean forward, would you?" Oscar suddenly muttered, now purposefully avoiding Virgil's gaze as the ten-year-old stared at him in disbelief. Moving wasn't exactly the easiest thing for him right now, why on earth would Oscar want him to lean forward?

"Why?" Virgil blurted out without really thinking about it.

"Because I need to reach your hands and you're sitting on them."

"But, you said he said... that..."

Oscar paled, but lifted his chin defiantly.

"No one tells a Swinger what to do."

Virgil could tell those were words that he had uttered several times before, but this time, even Oscar couldn't deny the way his voice trembled as he said it. Offering him a grin, Virgil squirmed his way forward, trying to turn slightly in order to give Oscar enough access to untie him. The man had obviously thought that Oscar would do as he was told, for the knots weren't tight. Awkward enough that Virgil couldn't untie them on his own, not with his hands held behind his back, but easily done with someone helping him.

As soon as the rope slid free, Virgil stood up, rubbing his wrists carefully as he yet again glanced around the room, beginning to walk slowly around it.

"What are you doing?"

This time it was Virgil who turned towards Oscar, his grin becoming more firm.

"You were right, I am the escaping type. Come on, let's get out of here."

It took Oscar barely more than a heartbeat before he was on his feet as well, joining Virgil in searching for a way out.

TBTBTB

Scott was leaning against a wall once again, dragging a hand through his hair and glancing down. Alan was sitting at his feet, leaning against his leg in tiredness. They had been walking around the hotel for hours now. Every forbidden place they could think of had been visited, and they had then tried all the normal places as well. Even Gordon's excitement at going somewhere they shouldn't wore off very quickly when they slowly began to realise that they simply had no idea where Virgil was.

"This isn't like him," John muttered, leaning on the wall opposite Scott but mirroring his brother's position. They only had half an hour left before they were supposed to be meeting Jeff for dinner and Scott still couldn't shake off the feeling that had been lingering ever since Virgil hadn't turned up for lunch. He now knew why. Despite their previous reluctance to inform their father, he knew they had no choice now. It wasn't anything to do with trying to stop Virgil getting into trouble, for right now, Scott would take the two of them yelling at each other if it meant that Virgil was there to be yelled at.

"Where is he, Scott?" Gordon asked softly, his eyes wide and imploring as he practically begged his brother to come up with some miraculous answer as to where their brother was. Scott shook his head, glancing down the corridor as he did so. A door at the far end was beginning to open, and he closed his eyes with a groan as Cowlishaw walked into view, smirking cheerfully at the boys. Immediately, Scott's eyes flew open and he glanced towards John, who had stiffened. The blond was staring straight ahead of him, not so much as glancing in that direction, but his hands were clenched into fists and he looked like he was fighting off tears. Running his hand across his eyes, Scott sighed.

For the first time in over a year, he was truly out of his depth. He didn't know where Virgil was, he didn't know how to help John.

"We need Dad."

"But..."

"It doesn't matter, John!" Scott accidentally snapped, groaning at the hurt look his brother shot him. "We've searched this place from top to bottom, we've done everything we can think of to try and find him. Yet Virgil clearly isn't here. Either he and Oscar are up to something – which I highly doubt as I've never seen Virgil hate someone this much before – or something has happened. I'm not risking something happening to our brother just so that he and Dad don't have a fight."

John just stared at him for a long moment before beginning to walk off. Cursing, Scott grabbed Alan's arm and Gordon's collar, pulling the surprised pair after him.

"John! John, don't be like this, where are you going?"

John stopped, glancing over his shoulder as if surprised by the note in Scott's voice.

"To find Dad. I thought that was what you wanted?"

Scott couldn't help but grin. Sometimes, he really couldn't get his head around his little brother, but he should have known better than to think that John would take his stress personally when they had no idea where Virgil was.

"Daddy will find him, won't he?" Alan asked, finally wriggling free of Scott's hold and going to stand next to John. Scott hitched a smile on his face, knowing that John and possibly Gordon would see straight through him.

"Of course he will."

Alan beamed, beginning to run ahead slightly as he headed towards where they had last seen their father. Scott just looked at John, seeing the same look in his brother's eye that he knew was reflected in his own.

Never before had he been so desperate to believe his own reassurances.


	14. Chapter 14

**Thank you so much once again for all the amazing reviews, they mean the world.**

The oldest Tracy brother sighed and desperately tried not to shift position. It was hard, though, he had been sitting on the floor for a best part of an hour, his movement restricted by the fact that he had three brothers leaning on him. Alan was sitting between his outstretched legs, curled up and leaning back on Scott's chest, fast asleep. He had spent so many hours that evening looking scared that Scott couldn't even bring himself to tug his little brother's thumb out of his mouth. Gordon was also asleep, curled into Scott's side. As with Alan, the older brother had his arm looped around Gordon's chest, stopping him from slipping and providing some sort of reassurance to Scott that his brother was still there, that he hadn't just vanished without Scott noticing. John had come and sat down next to him after Alan had fallen asleep. The second-oldest had an expression that just seemed to mirror the way Scott was feeling, and he wasn't sure whether the exact same look would be evident on his own face. John might have been determined to keep his brother company, but it hadn't taken long before he had slipped to one side, his head landing on Scott's shoulder as he too fell asleep.

Scott knew there was no way that he would be getting any rest, despite the fact that it had to be midnight at least. He couldn't get his father's look out of his head when only four of his sons had turned up for dinner, the oldest two looking drawn and haggard despite the fact that it had only been a few hours since he had last seen them. He had apparently only just heard that his boys had been looking for him all afternoon, then enquired where Virgil was. A slight sharpness had slipped into his voice in a familiar way that normally meant they were in trouble, but Scott had just glanced at the floor.

Never had a silence stretched on for as long as it did than when Scott admitted that they had no idea. Before Jeff could grow angry or assume that Virgil was just misbehaving, John had quickly cut in, explaining how they had searched everywhere and there was simply no sign of him. It was as if Virgil had just vanished. Scott wasn't sure he had ever seen the colour drain from a man's face as quickly as it did in that moment. Dinner was forgotten, even Alan claiming that he wasn't hungry, and the family had found themselves in reception whilst Jeff angrily demanded to speak to security.

That had been hours ago. The only reason that they weren't in their own rooms now was that the big burly men who made up the hotel's security team had wanted to speak to them. By the time they were done, the police had arrived and everything had started all over again until Alan had eventually fallen asleep. Jeff didn't seem to want to let them go up to the rooms, keeping a close eye on his sons, and for once, Scott didn't argue. As much as he might have wanted to get the little ones into bed, he knew that he would have then been expected to stay with them, and there was no way that he was going to miss even a word about what was being done to find his brother. Initially, Security and a man Scott presumed was the owner through his physical resemblance to Jack, had claimed that it must just be Virgil messing around. Both Jeff and Scott had shot down that argument and Jeff had demanded the police be called in.

Things had then taken another far more serious turn when Swinger had burst into the boardroom they were using and demanded to know where Oscar was. The silence that fell had caused Scott to shiver as it dawned on everyone that Virgil was not the only one who hadn't been seen for hours. They all knew the boys had been in the same place earlier, and that neither of them had been seen since. The words that had been then flung around – hostage, kidnap, ransom – had made the whole room swim before Scott, and he was sure that if he hadn't have been propping up his little brothers, he would have slipped over.

His father's reassuring hand on his shoulder had helped ground the teenager, but there had been the same terror in the man's eyes that Scott found was gripping his own soul. He had opened his mouth to say something, determined that they stopped standing here and did something about it, but Jeff had shaken his head, glancing at the rest of the family. Backing down, Scott knew what he meant. Once they had found out what was going on, there would be very little rest for any of them. Best they slept whilst they still could.

"...put Swinger on the second floor, the Tracys on the third."

Scott blinked, trying to make his numb mind wake up enough to follow the conversation that was taking place almost directly in front of him. Jeff had seemed reluctant to move more than a few steps away from his sons.

"Security will be on each of the rooms. You two, oversee the moving of their belongings, but keep your movements soft. I don't want anyone to get wind of what is happening. Place the standard issue bugs and re-routers on the phones to direct the calls straight to head office, just in case someone unexpected tries to make contact that way."

"Sir." Two of the security guards swiftly moved off after a third dressed the same had issued their orders.

"We're moving rooms?" Scott asked hoarsely, making Jeff jump as he glanced down at his eldest son.

"They think it will be safer." There was a strange note in Jeff's voice, almost as if he was trying to hold back anger. By the way that his hands were alternating between clenching and relaxing, Scott had a feeling he wanted to be doing more than just standing in a boardroom discussing security. He couldn't say anything though, he felt exactly the same. In a way, he couldn't help but wonder if that was why his brothers had been allowed to sleep on him – it stopped him from going anywhere.

"Have they found Virgil yet?"

"They're sorting out your safety first."

"They haven't started?" Scott practically exploded, causing Alan to whimper in his sleep as he was jostled slightly. This time, however, Scott found that he didn't particularly care. He was already trying to find a way to untangle himself from the younger ones so that he could go after Virgil himself when Jeff's hand once more landed on his shoulder.

"They will, son."

"How? We couldn't find him, and I think we know where Virgil is likely to go more than they do."

"It might not have been Virgil's choice where he ended up." The soft note in Jeff's voice barely concealed the agony underlying the tone and Scott blinked, feeling his heart begin to suddenly beat very fast.

"You think it might be true? What they are saying? That someone has taken...that someone..."

"Yes, Scott. You know your brother better than I do these days: would Virgil simply take off like this and not tell anyone? And with Oscar of all people? Two ten-year-olds do not just wander off, and I have enough faith in your brother to know that he would not have left the hotel grounds on his own."

"What about Oscar? He would have."

"Yet Virgil would not. Oscar might have been bullying your brother, but Virgil knows when to stand his ground. You and I both know that he would not have gone along with it. And those two together are worth..."

"I don't care what they are worth, or how it might affect your damn business deal. That means someone has my brother!"

"Scott, language. This is nothing about a business deal. But even you cannot deny how much Virgil and Oscar together are worth if the right players are involved. We have to take it seriously that someone might have your brother, and that they might have taken him for a reason."

"Virg," Scott whispered, slumping back against the wall and staring with unseeing eyes far beyond his father's shoulder. He should never have agreed that Virgil could walk back by himself, he was only ten! He should have gone out there and met him, insisted that he waited for Scott rather than coming back on his own...

"This isn't your fault, Scott." Strong hands suddenly rested on either side of his neck, forcing him to look into his father's face. The man's eyes were burning with an unreadable expression, but there was a soft kindness in his look as he gazed down at his son. "So don't you dare think it. We _will_ find him, and whoever is responsible will be brought to justice, I swear. I won't stop until my son is back in my arms."

"You better not," Scott said flatly. He had been trying to reassure his brothers that their father was back with them, that he was going to be a real dad again. But this was the first time that he found he was truly having to trust in the man, not able to step in and help himself. He had to trust Jeff to find Virgil, and it was much harder than he thought it would be.

"They won't hurt him, Scott," Jeff continued gently, his thumb moving in soft circles on the side of Scott's neck. "I promise you, they won't hurt him. They will know that he is only valuable if they don't touch him."

Scott could only swallow, not wanting to admit to how angry it was making him that even his own father was talking about his brother as if he was just another factor to be taken into consideration before striking a deal. However, he didn't have the chance to say anything before another voice interrupted them.

"Sir, your rooms are ready."

The security guard was back and Jeff nodded. "Come on, let's get your brothers to bed."

Scott didn't know what to say in response to that, so mutely nodded. Jeff leant forward and hooked his arms under Alan's shoulders, pulling him away from his brother and lifting him up. Alan stirred, letting out a muffled protest before his arms automatically curled around Jeff's neck and he settled down on his father's shoulder. Gordon stirred at the movement and his eyes slowly began to open. Quickly but gently shaking John awake, Scott rose to a crouch and took hold of Gordon's wrists, draping them around his neck. In one movement, he stood up, lifting his brother onto his back. As Gordon realised what was happening, his legs wrapped around Scott's waist and he held on properly.

"John?"

"'oming..." John mumbled, barely awake as he pushed himself up the wall and stumbled along behind them. It was only as they made it to the elevator that Scott realised he didn't like John being behind him and dropped back. He could feel that Gordon wasn't going anywhere, and the rest of the family he could see. Somehow, that offered him more reassurance than he had been expecting, and he didn't say a word as they made their way to their new room. It was a larger room than Scott and John's had been, but the six beds made it seem slightly cramped. Scott didn't mind though, it offered him a reassurance that he would be able to keep his brothers in his sight at all times if he found the right angle in the room. Not to mention if he kept his gaze pointedly forward, he couldn't see that the bed in the corner remained empty.

John collapsed face first onto one of the beds, never having truly woken up. Depositing Alan on another, Jeff smiled and pulled his son's shoes off, tucking the covers around the now sleeping John before turning back to getting Alan settled. Scott dropped Gordon on another bed, but didn't say anything as the redhead slipped straight back off again. Somehow, it came as no surprise as he ran straight to Alan's bed, climbing up on it and somehow wedging himself in between his brother and father. Realising that Virgil still wasn't with them and that he was hungry, Alan started to cry.

Satisfied that his father would have his hands full with those two for a few moments, Scott glanced at John. It was supposed to be the night of the meteor shower he had been so excited about. Instead of sitting up all night with his brother, glancing at the sky, he had fallen asleep, exhausted, and scared that something had happened to their brother. Sighing, Scott softly let himself out onto the balcony, nodding to his father as Jeff looked over at the movement.

His elbows rested on the rails and he stared up into the night sky. Everything was so calm and peaceful out here, not even a hint of the turmoil that was going on within the room. There was a light cloud covering, and Scott found himself cursing it. He had come out here with a specific thing in mind, and now the weather was hiding the one star that he needed to see. Did that mean that there was no hope, that even his mother was turning away because she didn't want to witness what was happening? Was his father right when he had said that whoever was behind this wouldn't hurt his brother? The thought of Virgil out there, on his own, sent shivers down Scott's spine.

"He'll be okay."

"How can you say that?" Scott was responding even before he had truly registered his father's presence, but couldn't find it in himself to shake off the arm that curled around his shoulders. Even so, he couldn't relax into it the same way he had been able to before.

"Because he has to be."

Glancing at his father out of the corner of his eye, Scott didn't comment on the burning emotions obvious even in the darkness of the night.

"He simply has to be." Jeff's head turned towards the sky, and Scott knew that he was seeking out the same star that Scott had, especially if the sigh that escaped him was anything to go by when he realised it was hidden. "You should get some sleep, son."

"I don't think I can," Scott admitted, glancing at where his hands were clenched around the railings. "There's too much going on in my mind."

"You have to try. For Virgil, you have to try. You're no good to the search teams half asleep."

"I can go with them?"

Jeff's hand rose from Scott's shoulder and he ruffled his son's hair. "I can't really stop you, can I?"

Scott smiled softly in the darkness and turned to go back in, realising that his father was right about needing to get some sleep. Knowing that he would be able to help find his brother settled Scott's churning stomach slightly.

"Scott?"

He turned back at his father's call, glancing towards the man. He wasn't looking at his son though, but the sky. John's meteors had made their appearance and Scott felt his breath catch as he saw them shooting across the sky. He knew they were just lumps of rock with a good and solid scientific explanation behind their appearance, but that didn't stop him from watching them with a sense of longing in his eyes. Maybe his mother hadn't turned away after all, but was finding another way of making sure they knew she was still watching over them?

For the first time in years, Scott found himself closing his eyes and wishing.

TBTBTB

"Virgil? Virgil? _Virgil?"_

"Shut up."

"Virgil!"

"What?" Virgil sat up, glaring through the dark to where he could hear Oscar's voice coming from. He was sore, scared and exhausted, and he didn't particularly want to deal with the other boy right now. Despite their confidence that they were going to get away, their afternoon had resulted in nothing more than sore shoulders from where they had run into the door multiple times on the off-chance that it might suddenly swing open for them. Needless to say, they had had no such luck and Virgil had found that his wrist was simply getting more and more painful as the day had gone on. He had kept it quiet though, not being sure how Oscar would react, whether he would be sympathetic or mocking, but when they had tried to pull the bar away from the wall in order to use it as some sort of leverage (although it was only now that Virgil realised it had been a stupid idea since there was simply nothing to use it against!), he had drawn the line and had to stop. Both boys had flopped down in opposite corners, silence falling over them.

Virgil couldn't help but hate the fact that there were no windows. He had absolutely no idea what time of day it was. With passing out before and therefore losing time, he could have been missing for a few hours or for days by now, he had no idea. He knew that it must have been reasonably late when he had fallen asleep an hour or so ago. Now, with Oscar hissing at him from the other side of the room, Virgil took a wild guess that it had to be the middle of the night at the very least.

"I'm hungry," Oscar whined, and Virgil simply rolled his eyes. Turning his back to the boy, he cradled his arm against his chest and tried to relax his mind to go back to sleep.

"_Virgil..._"

No such luck there then.

"So am I. Just shut up!" Virgil snapped, refusing to look around this time. What did Oscar expect him to do about it, suddenly pull out some food the way he had thought the boy would have been able to pull an escape plan out of thin air? That was something else that was really grating on Virgil's nerves. Oscar had truly seemed to think that Virgil would have been able to get them out of there, and Virgil had failed. He constantly had faith in Scott to pull off the impossible, and his brother somehow always managed to do it. Oscar had believed in him, but Virgil had failed.

"You can't..."

"Can't talk to you like that? Newsflash, Oscar, I can talk to you however I please. I'm as stuck as you are, so stop being a brat about it. I can't get us out of here, I can't produce food out of thin air, so stop moaning!"

Oscar's mouth snapped shut and he stared at Virgil in sheer and utter disbelief. Curling back around his arm, Virgil growled softly to himself as he tried to rest his head on his other arm in order to make himself more comfortable. He couldn't help but wonder if that was the first time that Oscar had ever been told no, and yet Virgil found that it didn't bring him any satisfaction. He didn't want to be telling the boy to grow up, he wanted to be back with Scott and John, curled up between them and falling asleep as his big brothers talked about something that he didn't understand. Virgil bit his lip, scrubbed at his eyes furiously as the tears threatened to spill and told himself to go back to sleep.

It didn't work this time. His mind had started thinking about his family – whether they would realise that he was missing, whether they would blame him, whether they were looking for him yet - and the more he thought about it, the harder it was to stop the tears from coming. Trying to muffle the sniff, Virgil was acutely aware of every noise he was making. Not just him, but Oscar as well. There was something unnerving about being in a silent room, and realising just how loud things such as breathing could be when there was no background noise. Wherever they were, Virgil knew yelling for help was going to get him nothing but a sore throat.

How long he stayed curled up for, his mind playing tricks on him, Virgil had no idea. But there was no way that sleep was going to come and take him away like it had before. As much as he was trying not to cry, he could also hear that Oscar was clearly trying not to either, and that somehow gave him reassurance. He hated the boy for all that he had done to him and his brothers over this holiday, but at the same time, he knew it would be much worse if he had been in this on his own. Even thinking about being in the room on his own made him shudder and Virgil quickly pushed the thought to one side. He wasn't alone, so he wasn't going to let himself think about it.

"Virgil?"

Wondering if Oscar was about to comment on his shiver, Virgil just made a non-committal noise in the back of his throat, still not turning over.

"Can you hear that?"

Virgil sat bolt upright as he realised what Oscar was getting at. There _was_ a noise coming from somewhere, and Virgil swallowed as his eyes fell on the door. Now that he was thinking about it, the noise sounded like a bolt being drawn back. He glanced at Oscar at the same time as Oscar glanced at him, and within seconds, both boys had moved until they were sitting next to each other, the bar over their heads and the wall against their backs. They might not get on, but it was better than facing this alone, and Virgil could feel Oscar shaking next to him as the door slowly moved.

Why he did it, Virgil had no idea, but he found himself getting to his feet, using the bar for support as his eyes were locked on the door. He wasn't stupid enough to try and make a run for it, not after last time. But he wasn't going to just sit there, utterly defenceless, whilst their captor came in. Not if he truly was a Tracy. Judging by the way Oscar pulled anxiously on the bottom of his shirt with a whimper, Virgil had a feeling the other boy didn't have the same thoughts that he did.

"Having fun, boys?" Despite the words, there wasn't even a fake friendliness in the voice, the mask saw to that as their abductor walked into the room. He had a plastic bag in his hand, and when Virgil's eyes landed on it, he threw it over. Neither of the boys moved to get to it, though. There was something paralysing about the way the mask obscured any facial expressions or even this man's tone of voice.

"What do you want with us? Let us go." Virgil tried to sound strong and confident, the way he knew his father and oldest brother could do. He had heard Scott fend off grown-ups' questions for the last year, and he had always wondered how his brother did it. But staring at the man in front of him, trying not to flinch away, Virgil wasn't sure that he had the same talent.

"I'll let you go when I have what I want."

"And what's that?"

"You'll see."

"You won't get away with this! Don't you know who my father is?" Oscar insisted, finally climbing to his feet and standing next to Virgil, his arms folded as he glared at the man. He may have looked surprised when a strange laugh echoed around the room, distorted by the mask and echoing around thanks to the walls, but Virgil simply sighed, not taking his eyes off the man. He was subconsciously rubbing his wrist again as he spoke.

"Oh, he knows exactly who your father is. And mine. That's why he is doing this. Why? Money?"

"So young, so naive." The man finally got control of his laughter and Virgil didn't need the mask to tell him that he was being mocked. "What I want is far beyond your understanding, so why don't you just sit down?"

Virgil found his knees automatically beginning to fold, wanting to do as the man said because he knew the consequences of doing otherwise. What he hadn't expected was for Oscar to suddenly speak up.

"No one tells a Swinger what to do."

"I'm telling you what to do right now. And very soon, I'll be telling your father what to do as well if he wants to see his son alive again."

"Go for it, he won't care."

Despite Oscar clearly trying to sound confident, there was a note in his voice that made Virgil turn slightly. He wasn't trying to be brave or anything like that; he truly believed that his father wouldn't care. Unfortunately, the man saw it as well and chuckled again.

"Oh but Virgil's daddy does, doesn't he, boy?"

Virgil didn't answer, but the man took a step forward, grabbing his arm and pulling him closer, making the child wince as he pulled on his sore wrist.

"Get off..."

"Imagine how mad his father is going to be if he finds out a Swinger was the reason that his son was hurt."

"What are you talking about?" Oscar snapped, but Virgil could see the fear in his eyes even as he tried to struggle against the grip.

"Virgil here will do as I say because he won't want me going after those brothers of his."

Virgil froze, his heart pounding uncomfortably hard. "And you will do precisely what I say because otherwise I'll take it out on Virgil. Do you really think that if you ever again see the light of day, Scott Tracy would let it go that you are the reason his brother was hurt?"

Oscar swallowed, but didn't say anything. The man laughed one more time and pushed Virgil away again, causing him to stumble and raise his hand just in time to catch himself on the wall before he fell.

"That's more like it. Sleep well, boys."

Virgil gripped onto the bar as the man strode out again, slamming the door shut behind him. There was the unmistakeable sound of a bolt being drawn, but neither of the boys said anything. Virgil was only grateful that he now knew roughly what time of day it was, for there was nothing more disorientating than not having a clue. Oscar finally moved forward and looked into the bag before letting out a sigh of relief. As he pulled out two bottles of water and two sandwiches, Virgil just let himself slide down the wall, resting his head on his knees.

"He knows precisely who we are."

"I thought you said that was the point?" Oscar asked, already beginning to eat. Virgil glanced at him and shook his head slightly.

"I mean, he knows that Scott would kick your ass if something happened to me because of you. Who knows that?"

"Everyone who watches you together."

"We're that obvious?"

Oscar shrugged, pushing the water and food over to Virgil and avoiding the other boy's gaze. Eventually, he sighed heavily. "Yeah. Yeah you are. That's why I started on you; I could see that it was going to get a reaction."

"Really? You had no idea what we were like, yet you could see that Scott would look out for me?" Virgil had never even thought about the fact that it might be really obvious to anyone. Oscar nodded.

"I didn't realise how much though."

"So he might be bluffing when he says that he can go after the others, that he doesn't know as much as he thinks?"

"Would you risk it?"

"No." Virgil had nothing more to say on the matter. There was no way that he would even contemplate crossing this man if it meant that his brothers might be the ones to suffer for it.

"Me neither."

"What?" Virgil's head whipped around so fast that he grimaced as he stared at Oscar. The boy shrugged, not meeting his eyes although even by the dim light of the one bulb they had, Virgil could see him flushing.

"You've got a cool life, Virgil. Why do you think I tried to wreck it? I promise I won't any more, though."

"Um... thanks?" Virgil had no idea what he was supposed to say to that, so just settled down against the wall and pulled the food towards him. Like Oscar, he was starving and quickly tucked in. When he had finished eating, he glanced over at Oscar to see the boy sitting staring into space, his eyes looking haunted.

"Try and get some sleep," Virgil said gently, curling himself back up.

"No one..."

"...tells a Swinger what to do, I got that part. But you're no good in an escape if you're half asleep."

"An escape? We're getting out?"

"Yeah," Virgil said with as much certainty as he could manage, nodding firmly to himself in the dark. No one threatened to go after his brothers, and Virgil was now more determined than ever to get out. Filled with the convictionthat everything was going to be okay in a way that only a child could, Virgil managed to fall back to sleep again.


	15. Chapter 15

**Thank you so much once again for the amazing support, it means everything to me.**

"Can you reach yet?"

"If you stopped wobbling, I might be able to..." Virgil gritted his teeth as his hand stretched out, determined to try and reach the top of the door from where he was standing on Oscar's shoulders. Neither of them knew what good it was going to do even if they could reach it, but sheer frustration at having to simply sit there had eventually got the better of them. They had tried pulling the bar off the wall, they had even tried tugging at the bricks that were visible in the wall. Needless to say, nothing had worked. Then Virgil had wondered whether if they could reach the top of the door they would be able to prise it open. How long they had spent bickering over who was going to go up, neither of them knew but it had certainly passed the time through the several attempts it had taken them to get to this point.

Virgil was on his tiptoes, Oscar's hands wrapped around his ankles as he tried to support them both. Virgil's fingers were scrabbling at the top of the door, yet even if he could get a slight grip on the cold metal, he didn't know what he expected to do then. Now that he was up there, Virgil knew full well that they were going to be able to do nothing in order to get out. But the idea of saving his strength did not occur to the ten-year-old and neither of the boys wanted to just sit there and admit they were stuck. Virgil knew that Oscar was just as scared as he was, but as neither of them wanted to admit it, both managed to focus past the fear.

"I got it..." Virgil panted, digging his fingers into the gap between the door and the frame.

"I'm slipping."

"Don't move, I've got..." He was too late though. Oscar slipped to one side, Virgil immediately falling as he did so. For one wild moment, he thought that he would be able to hold on to the door somehow, but the gap was too small. His fingers could touch it, but not get a true grip on it, and the aspiring artist hit the floor almost before he knew that he was truly falling. Immediately, pain lanced up his already sore wrist and Virgil cried out, cradling it against his chest.

"You okay?" Oscar asked gruffly, peering over from where he was also sitting on the floor. Beforehand, Virgil would have said that he had fallen on purpose but a night – or day, they still had no idea on the time - spent together with the realisation that this was truly happening and not just a bad dream had made them reach some sort of mutual understanding. Both admitted they didn't like the other one and might never do, but they needed each other if they were going to have any sort of chance of getting out. Their captor hadn't been back since he had dumped the food and both were beginning to get hungry again. In a bid to distract themselves from their growling stomachs, they had instead attempted to escape.

"I think... Ahh, I don't know..." Virgil tried not to gasp, tried not to show just how much his wrist was hurting, but it was so hard. It seemed to be throbbing painfully, and he couldn't help but wonder if he had actually done some real damage to it this time. "But the door isn't a way out."

"There has to be something!" Oscar jumped to his feet and kicked the door. Virgil only rolled his eyes as nothing happened apart from the other boy beginning to hop around on one foot, cursing in a way that Virgil knew would have Grandma reaching for her wooden spoon if she had heard him. Virgil just moved back until he was leaning against the wall again, resting his head back on it and wincing as he tried to shift his wrist into a more comfortable position. It wasn't going to help his escape plan if he could only use one hand. Although considering how well all of their attempts had gone so far, he knew that his hand was going to be the least of his problems. For in order to need both hands, he first of all needed to find a way out of this room. As much as Virgil didn't want to feel like he was admitting defeat, he had a horrible feeling that they wouldn't be getting out.

"We're not going to be able to get it open, Oscar," Virgil muttered wearily, watching the other boy hopping around on one foot. They were both scared, but Virgil could detect that Oscar was alsoangry. He knew that he too felt a stirring of anger over the fact that someone thought they could get away with doing this to them, but he couldn't truly understand where Oscar's fury was coming from. The other boy didn't respond, but instead tried every method he could think of in order to get the door open.

"It's not going to work; you are only going to hurt yourself."

"No. There has to be a way out, there simply has to."

"Oscar, I know you want to escape. I do too," Virgil began quietly. He made to get up from the floor, then, considering he wasn't even sure whether Oscar would listen to him or not and it wasn't just his wrist that was aching from the fall, he decided to stay where he was. "But our dads will find us."

"I told you before, mine doesn't care."

"That's not true! And you know it. He loves you!" Virgil didn't really know what to say. He might not have had the best relationship of late with his own father, but never for an instant did he doubt that Jeff would move heaven and earth trying to find his missing son. He knew the man loved him, and would do anything to get him back, even if Virgil had been making his life difficult of late. So maybe he might have muttered to Scott that he didn't think his father cared, but he hadn't truly meant it.

"How do you know?" Oscar shot back, his voice not only sounding angry but hurt as he finally flung himself against the opposite wall and sat down heavily, scowling.

"He's your dad, he has to love you." Virgil knew that he was missing something here when Oscar simply scoffed.

"I think the only reason he didn't let me live with my mother was because he thought it would bring in more business to have his _little boy_ along: make him seem the martyr, running a business and raising a son. The fact that he remembers my name is something of a shock."

"How can you say that?" Virgil cried, the upset clear in his voice. He couldn't believe that Oscar would think that about his father, but now that the artist was looking back on it, he was struggling to find a time when Swinger had addressed Oscar with warmth. But surely this couldn't be true..?

"Virgil, shut up! I told you yesterday I wanted to wreck your holiday because it was clear how much you and your brothers cared for each other. Why do you think I wanted it? I was jealous, okay? I'm nothing more than a business asset to my father, and if there is one thing that he has taught me, it's how to cut his losses. If this creep wants too much, Dad won't bother. Then his share prices will rocket or something like that. So yes, I am trying to escape. As unlike you, I can't sit here and wait for a rescue!"

Virgil stared at Oscar, trying to ignore the fact that the other boy was crying. Swallowing hard, it took him a few moments to find the words that he was looking for.

"My dad will come."

"Good for you. Haven't we said this before?" Oscar snapped, staring stubbornly in the opposite direction and clearly trying to hide the fact that he was upset.

"And he will find us both! Oscar, I'm not just going to leave you here, no matter what your dad is like!"

"Really?"

Rolling his eyes, Virgil nodded.

"Really really! So will you please not simply run into the door? I don't think that it is just going to fall open because you want it to, even if you are a Swinger!"

There was a stunned silence as Oscar simply blinked at Virgil for a moment.

"You mean it?"

"I might change my mind if you don't shut up and actually believe me! Unlike someone I could mention, I'm not a liar!" Virgil didn't even know what had him so annoyed, just that Oscar's disbelief that someone would actually want to help him was really beginning to grate on the young Tracy's nerves.

"Thanks."

The word was so quiet compared to their raised voices from before that Virgil barely even heard it, but when Virgil's eyes flickered over to his fellow hostage, he saw Oscar studying his feet, his hands twisting themselves self-consciously in the bottom of his shirt. Virgil smiled softly even though he knew that Oscar wouldn't be able to see him, and settled himself more comfortably against the wall. After all, it was one thing to say that Jeff would come and get them out, it was another thing to have to sit there and wait for it to happen. Silence fell once more between the two children, but it wasn't as strained as before.

"The door!" Oscar suddenly hissed a few moments later, his eyes locked on the one thing they had spent the best part of an hour trying to open. Virgil glanced wearily over, then sat up with a jolt as he realised what Oscar meant. There was a scraping noise coming from the other side, the same noise they had heard when the man had brought them the food beforehand. Someone was unlocking the door, preparing to come in.

"Get to the wall next to it!" Virgil jumped to his feet, quickly moving until he was pressed against the cold wall, trying to ignore the way the bar made it impossible to flatten himself completely. The door opened outwards, meaning that both boys were in the same situation on either side of it rather than one having the advantage. Trying to ignore the thought that if there was a disadvantage to be had, Oscar would probably make sure that Virgil was the one at the losing end of that deal, the boy instead found himself thinking about whether this could potentially work or not. He was thinking of all the times he and his brothers had tried to startle each other by jumping out from behind a door, how they never knew the other was there until they had already stepped through into the room. If the man couldn't see them when he first opened it, maybe he would come in to have a better look, allowing them to run through and out into freedom...?

All thoughts were pushed from his mind as the door was pulled open and Virgil found himself unconsciously holding his breath. He caught Oscar's eye as a shadow fell across the threshold and the other boy nodded. He might not have brothers to play around with, but he knew what it was that Virgil was planning. Neither of them moved as the shadow took a step forward and a muffled curse made itself obvious from behind the mask. Oscar made to move forward but Virgil shook his head frantically. It was too soon, they wouldn't be able to get anywhere if Oscar...

Too late.

The boy clearly thought that his bid for freedom was more important than waiting for the right time, and Oscar ran forward. But the man hadn't even stepped away from the door yet, and all Oscar managed to do was practically crash into him.

"Not going somewhere, are you?"

Virgil was sure that the voice was going to give him nightmares after this, but he didn't dare move as the figure grabbed Oscar's upper arm, holding on with a biting grip and pulling the boy further into the room.

"Get off me!"

Virgil still didn't move. The man hadn't yet seen him, his attention focused on the now-struggling Oscar. He had his back to the door and his hands full with the other boy. Virgil could still put his plan into action and get out of there. If he ran, he would be able to get help for Oscar, it wasn't like he was really leaving him, even though he knew that was not how the other boy would see it. His breathing coming in short, sharp pants, Virgil bit his lip as he tentatively took a step towards the door, his eyes locked on their abductor. The man didn't seem to react as he was still trying to push Oscar over to the other side of the room, so Virgil took another step, then another.

_Click._

His foot was over the threshold when Virgil heard the noise. A few days ago, he would have thought the only time he was ever going to hear it was in movies, but now he had come to recognise it. His heart pounding hard, he slowly turned back around. The man had finally got a grip on Oscar, and Virgil found himself swallowing hard. One arm was looped around the boy's neck, holding him back with ease considering Oscar had gone pale and stopped fighting. The other hand, however, was holding the same gun that he had threatened Virgil with before, and it was aimed directly at the escaping ten-year-old.

"Wrong way, kid."

Virgil's eyes were locked on the weapon, not wanting to face that mask again, but his good hand was drifting behind him. He could feel the edge of the door; feel the way that it gave way to the corridor beyond. Judging by what he could feel of the wall, Virgil could tell that they seemed to be in the centre of a building. But what was more pressing was whether he could get around the corner and make a run for it before the man shot him.

"Virgil."

Despite the distorted sound of the voice, Virgil could hear the warning note in there, something that sounded so much like his father and older brother that his fingers fell from the door and clenched into a fist by his side.

"Virgil, please..." Oscar whispered, and Virgil dropped his head, his shoulders slumping as he looked towards the masked figure, knowing the man had won.

"Come into the room, Virgil."

Although he didn't go back any further, Virgil didn't come any closer either. He had meant what he had said to Oscar, he wasn't going to attempt to run when the man had his arm around the boy's neck. But now, now there was a gun involved, Virgil didn't know what to do. This wasn't a fight he could win, unlike the times when he and Gordon tried to have a standoff with each other. He had promised Oscar that he wouldn't leave him, yet did both of them being locked up really help anyone? His indecision must have shown on his face as the man sighed, a long rattling noise that made Virgil instantly dub him "Vader" in his head after the old movies that John was always watching. The gun moved. Rather than being pointed at Virgil, it was now tucked firmly under Oscar's chin. The boy's eyes went wide, and that was the only warning Virgil had before Oscar started screaming.

"You won't hurt him," Virgil muttered, not even sure if he could be heard over Oscar. But in the same way that Virgil was trying to tune out the other boy, so was "Vader". Through the mask, Virgil could see the eyes watching him closely. The glimpse down the corridor that Virgil had managed to get showed even more winding corridors – no sign whatsoever that it either ended or lead to the outside world. All in all, he had no idea where they were.

"Won't I? Come in now."

Oscar's screams had turned into sobs once more and Virgil sighed. He might have made it around the corner, but he knew there was no way that he could take the risk. This man seemed serious, and Virgil wasn't prepared to take the chance that he might kill Oscar. He didn't think he would hurt either of them - they were no use to him dead, but the fear that he had been trying so hard to keep in was beginning to get the better of him. Rational thoughts were giving way to frightened ones, ones where he was left all on his own...

His eyes found the floor and he took a step into the room again. He didn't look up as Vader pushed Oscar to the far corner, but instead let them drift shut, trying to disguise the couple of tears leaking out. He didn't want them all to think that he was just weak, but neither could he muster up the strength to look like this wasn't affecting him. He felt a hand on his arm just before he was roughly pulled further in. Without thinking about it, he instantly tensed, trying to stand his ground again. He was a Tracy through and through. No matter how frightened he might have been, Virgil was not going down without a fight.

"Do I need to tie you up again?" the man hissed, but his words had no impact as Virgil continued to struggle. He wasn't going to let the man simply pull him in the way he had done with Oscar and, digging his heels in, Virgil pulled back hard on the hold. The gun had been returned to the man's belt whilst Virgil had been looking down, and the child knew this was potentially his only chance of fighting back without someone getting shot. Yet for all of his efforts, he was still just a ten-year-old fighting against a man, and the next thing he knew, an arm had been wrapped around the back of his knees and he had been tipped over the man's shoulder.

The room was so small that it only took Vader a couple of steps before he dumped Virgil down next to Oscar, the gun once more in his hand. Feeling his legs buckle under him, Virgil let himself drop to the floor and simply sat down.

"Don't move." The gun was kept trained on them as the man backed up. He didn't turn around again, but just let his hand reach out into the corridor, pulling in a large bag. Considering the way he had brought them to this location in the first place, Virgil found his heart was pounding hard. Vader simply ignored them and shut the door before moving to the opposite corner and crouching down, opening it up. The gun had once again been placed harmlessly on the floor, but one glance told Virgil that he would never be able to reach the door before the man had it back in his hand.

"You were going to leave me! After everything you said, you were going to run," Oscar whispered, betrayal in his voice. Virgil sighed, but didn't look at him. Instead, all of his attention was focused on Vader and what it was he was unpacking. If Virgil wasn't mistaken, it looked to be some sort of camera. It seemed that they were about to find out what it was the man wanted from them. Or more specifically, what he wanted from their fathers.

"I was not," Virgil muttered back. He didn't care whether Oscar believed him or not. He had made the point before that he was not going to leave him here, and whilst he might have had a split-second of thinking that he could go for help, Virgil knew full well that he would have never been able to take it. Not after he had promised.

"You're braver than me. I might have run, might have left you without a second thought if it meant getting out of here."

Virgil sighed and leant back on the wall, hugging his legs to his chest and watching the man with weary eyes. He didn't know what Oscar expected him to say to that. After all, it was Virgil who had promised not to leave Oscar, not the other way around. Had he truly expected the boy to just sit there if he was given the chance of freedom after everything that Oscar had done in their previous encounters? They might have not got on well, but the thought of being left alone, locked up with nothing to distract him from the silence, made Virgil shudder. Up until now, the fear had been something that was slightly irrational, the constant reassurances from his family that he would never be alone had kept him calm. But now, Virgil realised that it could so easily happen, and he knew that was the reason why he had suddenly started shaking. Luckily, he couldn't dwell on it for long as Vader suddenly turned back towards them.

Virgil had been right; it was a camera that he had been setting up. But it seemed that he wasn't taking any chances, for as soon as the equipment was in the right place, the gun was back in his hand and pointing at the two scared boys. Oscar whimpered, but Virgil just glared back. He knew that it wouldn't make an impressive sight though, not when he was hungry, tired and sore. Not to mention scared out of his mind.

"Right, boys, time to say hello to your fathers. Do exactly as I say and I'll remember to leave some food and water behind. Act up, and I'll leave you to rot in here, understand?"

"Yes!" Oscar squeaked, but Virgil dropped his eyes. He knew that the man had been going to use them against their parents, but now it had actually come around to it, he couldn't help feeling ashamed. He didn't want to be used against his father, didn't want it to be his fault that Jeff would have to do something that he didn't want to. Not looking up and not saying a word, Virgil mutely nodded.

TBTBTB

Scott was sitting on the floor, his back pressed against the wall. Over a day had gone by, and they had heard nothing and found even less. He had been out with the security teams for most of the day, but despite Jeff saying that he could go with them, Scott had a feeling he was being watched. After all, Jack had suddenly decided that he was going to join the search and just happened to join the group Scott had been going with. The teenager was sure he hadn't imagined the nod the young man sent towards his father either, making him more than certain that Jeff had asked Jack to keep an eye on him.

There would have been a time when that would have irritated Scott. After all, he had spent the last year looking after not only himself, but his brothers as well. But to take the matter further would have taken both time and energy, neither of which he had. The teams had swapped over as night had fallen and despite Scott's insistence that he was fine, he had been firmly escorted back to the rest of the family. Judging by the way John wasn't talking to anyone and Gordon had a face like thunder, Scott knew it was where he was needed. Jeff hadn't let the boys out of his sight, taking them everywhere with them, but neither had he had the time to deal with their moods individually. For the first time in a very long time, Scott was glad about that. It meant the man was putting every ounce of his energy into finding Virgil. Besides, he could handle his brothers, and barely an hour after getting back, Gordon was smiling and John had said something. Despite his accomplishments with three of his brothers, Scott still couldn't bring himself to eat anything when dinner had come around, picking slightly to encourage the others to eat. Their father wasn't even pretending, instead just ordering coffee and jumping at every small noise.

Getting them to bed had been even harder. Alan was easy, he had fallen asleep on Jeff's lap whilst they had still been downstairs. Scott could tell by the way his youngest brother hadn't even stirred when they had taken him upstairs that Alan had worn himself out during the day. The teenager could only wince when he thought about just how much screaming that must have involved. But he should have known the other two wouldn't go as quietly. Well, Gordon didn't go quietly, kicking up a tantrum the likes of which Scott hadn't seen in a very long time. He was just thankful that it was his dad that was there to deal with it this time, and Scott had been unable to stop the smile on his face when he had seen how Gordon had fallen asleep on Jeff in a similar way to Alan.

John was another battle all together. He didn't say a word, he just refused to stay in bed, no matter how many times his big brother or father sent him back. Whilst Jeff was distracted with Gordon, Scott changed tactic. Rather than trying to force John to stay in bed, he let the boy move. It came as no surprise when his brother immediately went to the balcony, curled up in a seat and sat gazing at the stars. Now that he was where he wanted to be, John didn't move again, and it didn't take long for sleep to claim him. Scott had made to cover him with something, but his dad had shaken his head. It had come as something of a surprise when Jeff had somehow tipped John over his shoulder and carried him back to bed. John had mumbled something in his sleep, but his father had just sat on the edge of the bed and stayed with him until his son was settled.

That was where he was now, and Scott knew it wouldn't be long before he tried to send his oldest son to sleep as well. Scott wasn't even sure why he was sitting where he was, there were plenty of chairs scatted around the room, not to mention his own bed. But if pushed for a reason, he knew it was him trying to protect his brothers. After all, with his back against the door, no one could attempt to come in without him knowing about it. With his head resting against it, he could pretty much hear everything that was going on as well.

Which was why, when footsteps came to a stop outside of the door, Scott was on his feet and wrenching it open like a shot. He could see Jeff tensing out of the corner of his eye, but all that waited on the other side was the security guard assigned to them. Peering out, Scott could see a hotel porter further down the hallway, clearly having been told to wait there. A small envelope was placed in his hand.

"Something from reception." The man muttered, already turning away. Scott brought the package in and shut the door with a snap. The outer layer had already been opened and he could see that the second envelope had been torn as well. No doubt security was making sure that nothing harmful could get into the room.

"Who was it, Scott?" Whilst Jeff kept his voice soft so as to not awaken the rest of the boys, he made sure it carried across the room.

"Just something from reception," Scott responded, a frown beginning to make its way onto his face as he felt the weight and size of the parcel in his hand. Unravelling the torn edges of the envelopes, Scott still found that he had to fight in order to get through to the contents properly. When a small disk no bigger than his palm fell out, he just stared. What on earth was this supposed to be?

He left it balancing in one hand whilst turning over the envelope in the other, trying to work out what it was that he had just been given. When he saw that it was not him who should have received the package, but his father, Scott swallowed past the lump in his throat, ignoring the way his heart was beating hard. He glanced to where Jeff was just visible, still sitting on John's bed, then back to the envelope. His eyes then slipped from the envelope to the disk, onto his father, then back around all three things. His mind was scrambling desperately for the answers.

Suddenly, Scott gasped. He knew what this was. How, he couldn't say, but somehow, he knew. If it was what he thought it was, it was the first sign of Virgil they had had for over 24 hours now. That had to mean something, surely? His breathing picked up into something that could resemble frantic as the envelope fell from his hand. The disk, however, he kept a tight hold of, making sure the door was locked before taking a step into the room.

"Dad? I think you need to see this."


	16. Chapter 16

**Really quick update, now I'm off to catch a train!**

Jeff sighed, running a hand over his eyes in exhaustion as he looked towards the rest of the occupants in the room. He was back in one of the meeting rooms, only this time it wasn't business associates that filled the room. The hotel managers and security team were assembled in one corner, the police in the other. Plain-clothed detectives appeared to be roaming between the two groups, yet Jeff had stopped truly paying attention. His mind was playing tricks on him, almost causing him to be stuck in a loop, the footage on the disk playing over and over in his mind.

Resting his elbows on the table, he let his head fall into his hands. Scott had been right in being nervous about what the disk had contained, yet his father hadn't let him see it. He knew his son, knew that Scott would eventually find a way of getting his hands on it, but for the first viewing, Jeff had wanted to be alone. Instructing Scott not to leave his brothers, he had stepped outside with his laptop, slipped the disk in and watched as his whole world had come tumbling down around him. Within seconds, he had been able to confirm that both Virgil and Oscar were still together, yet he was ignoring Swinger's son. Instead, his eyes were fixed on his own.

One glance was all Jeff needed in order to be able to tell how Virgil was dealing with what was happening. He couldn't help but find himself mirroring his thoughts from a few days before when he had known precisely what John needed in order to be able to open up to his father. He might not have been around much lately, but there was no way he had ever truly drifted away from his boys. He still knew more about them then they knew about each other, possibly even about themselves. It meant that within seconds of seeing his son, Jeff could see that Virgil had hurt his wrist, he was exhausted and that he was afraid. But he could also see the way his ten-year-old was trying to be brave about the situation and, judging by the defiance pouring from his eyes, he was not making it easy on whoever had taken him. The boys hadn't been given the chance to say anything, but Jeff could see the way Virgil's eyes were practically pleading with him to come and do something, to get them out of the situation they were in.

Judging from what he could hear of their captor, Jeff wasn't surprised that Virgil wanted to get as far away as possible. The camera didn't show much of whoever it was who had taken the boys, and when it did turn slightly, the angle it was at meant that no defining features of the man could be seen, not his height, weight or anything the slightest bit useful. Yet Jeff had found himself shuddering when he caught sight of the mask. In a way, he wasn't even sure it _was_ a man considering how muffled the voice was, but something just told him it was. Although the tone of voice was broken up, there could be no denying the depth to it. But there was certainly something more than unnerving about the way it came out, and even as a fully-grown businessman with five sons and a tragic year behind him, Jeff found himself shuddering. In a way, he didn't even want to know how Virgil was feeling, for he was sure it would do nothing to help his nerves.

A quick check of the boys had shown them all to still be asleep, apart from Scott. That came as no surprise; he knew that his oldest son would get no rest until he knew what was happening. Yet Jeff was determined that Scott wasn't going to find out, not yet, anyway. Claiming that he needed to see reception about the parcel (something that wasn't technically a lie), the father had instructed him to let no one in and headed downstairs. Considering what else the footage had shown, it came as no surprise to see Swinger storming towards reception from the opposite direction, his face like thunder. It seemed that whoever was behind this wanted them both to know what was going on.

Here they still were, hours later. It had to be some forsaken time in the morning now, considering how long they had been running through theories and questions, each simply upsetting Jeff more and more. Before everything had truly kicked off, he had been fortunate enough to run into Jack. Knowing the young man was aware that the boys were missing thanks to his help in the search parties, Jeff had practically dragged him back up the stairs again. This time, he hadn't been able to hide from Scott that the situation was perhaps more serious than they had feared, and had persuaded Jack to stay with the boys. It had been a slight battle to get Scott to stay in the room considering he knew there was someone they trusted looking out for his younger brothers, but he had eventually taken note of his father's pleas and stayed put.

Right now, Jeff would do anything to be back upstairs with the boys, reassuring himself that they were all still where they should be. It was so hard to simply sit there and listen as people he had never met before in his life tried to discuss the situation and the potential outcome for Virgil. Hearing the boys being called things such as "hostages" made Jeff growl in anger, his hands clenching from where he was resting his head in them. This wasn't a _hostage_ in one of their training scenarios, it was his son! The one thing that would have surprised him if he had taken note was the way Swinger was looking so remarkably relaxed for someone who had just had their only son kidnapped, but Jeff was barely sparing the man a thought. Everything that was going through his mind, all he could think about, was Virgil.

"Sir?"

Looking up as a soft voice called his name, Jeff blinked. One of the young officers was standing next to him, a sympathetic smile on his face and a plastic cup steaming in his hand that he immediately offered out to Jeff. Instantly taking a liking to the young man as the smell of coffee hit his nose, Jeff attempted to smile. He could feel that it came out as nothing more than a grimace, a true smile being far beyond his emotional capability right now, but the man didn't seem to mind.

"My name is Nick, they've asked me to..."

"Make sure that I don't do anything stupid?" Jeff finished bitterly, but tried once again to give the young man a reassuring smile. Somehow, he knew why it was Nick who was over here. He looked barely old enough to even be an officer, and Jeff had a feeling this would have been one of the man's first big jobs, especially when dealing with the rich and famous. They had given him babysitting duty to not only make sure that Jeff didn't do anything rash, but to keep him out of the way as well. Whilst it would be something of an irritant to have him watching Jeff was going to make sure he tried his hardest not to let Nick bear the brunt of that irritation. Not to mention it might be helpful to have someone else around who would be able to look out for the rest of the boys.

"Move over, officer!" a curt voice snapped, and Nick quickly ducked away as another more senior member of the force took his place. Swinger had been brought over as well, and the man practically flung himself in the seat opposite Jeff. Having spent hours recently trying to read Swinger to work out what his business proposal was, Jeff found it surprising that he was having to do the same now. He knew that if anyone was to look at him, they would be able to see precisely what was running through his mind, anger and concern taking precedence. Yet Swinger seemed just as closed down as normal. The new officer didn't waste any time on introductions, but stood with his hands clasped behind his back and surveyed the two men.

"My officers are questioning all staff on reception to try and trace where the packages came from. The instructions informed you that you had to be in the room off from the pool at 1500 hours, am I correct?"

"Yes," Swinger said promptly whilst Jeff simply nodded.

"Then we have until then to figure out what he wants."

"He didn't want anything," Jeff protested, staring down at the coffee cup clutched in his hands and looking into the swirling mass of liquid resting within. If he was honest, he felt a little bit like he was drowning in it. "He didn't voice any demands, or give any instructors other than showing that he has the boys and that we had to be at that location at the given time. He said nothing about money or anything like that."

"He might not for a while, Sir."

"But, whoever you are..."

"Flinn, Sir."

"Flinn. How do we know what he wants? He has my son, I can't just sit here and wait for him to tell us what he wants when Virgil is alone and scared."

"Oscar is there as well," Swinger cut in, yet his voice almost sounded bored. Jeff just shot him a look.

"Fine, he's not alone but he is still scared."

"I know you are upset and concerned, Mr Tracy, but trust that I know what I am doing. I want you to sit here, look after the rest of your children, but just let me do my job. Don't try and contact him, don't do anything heroic, just turn up at the pool when you are told to."

"I can't just sit here whilst Virgil is out there!" Jeff protested hotly, beginning to rise from his seat. In a way, he knew where Flinn was coming from, knew that if their situations were reversed, he might have even been telling the man the same thing. But the idea of just doing as he was told whilst his boy was out there was not something that was sitting too comfortably with Jeff Tracy. He knew where his sons got their inability to just sit there and do nothing from, he was exactly the same.

"I want to call a press meeting." Swinger cut through the conversation almost as if they weren't even having it, and as Flinn turned smoothly towards him, Jeff couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"Why? Surely that will just let him know that we are tryingto find him and put a stop to whatever it is he is doing?"

"You mean to say that you won't inform him of that the next time he makes contact?"

This time, Jeff had no comeback. He knew that Swinger was absolutely right, he would be telling this kidnapper precisely what he thought when he next made contact, but he didn't understand why Swinger wanted to broadcast it to the entire world before then. Not knowing what the man wanted meant that action could potentially put the boys' lives in danger, and whilst Swinger might be prepared to risk his own son, there was no way that Jeff was about to let him risk Virgil.

"No."

"Wait a moment, Mr Tracy," Flinn interrupted, looking thoughtful as he stared at Swinger.

"You can't be serious! This man has my son, I'm not about to make that public knowledge."

"It might help us." Flinn cut through Jeff's protests once again, ignoring the man's disbelieving expression and looking like he was thinking something through. "Did the instructions say anything about the media? Did he specifically say that you weren't to get anyone else involved, whether it be the press or the police?"

"You know it didn't, you've watched it yourself," Jeff muttered, not liking where this was going. This man was supposed to be the best detective in the state ( for once, Jeff had had no qualms about using his name to get him the best and from everyone he had spoken to, Flinn was the best) and considering who he was dealing with, the father was almost certain he wouldn't let this case go wrong. Personal feelings aside, it could make or break his career. Swinger might not be looking too worried about the fact that his son had been taken, but he would make his displeasure known if anything bad happened. Yet actually making himself believe that this man, this _stranger_, knew what was best for his son was something Jeff was struggling to get to grips with.

"Therefore someone might have seen something and would have information they could come forth with. If that is not what he wants, he will make it clear in his next transmission. But he won't hurt the boys because of it, not if he knows the rules of the game. He sets the rules, you follow them or the boys pay the price. Yet if he hasn't made those rules clear, then it is a level playing field for all."

"This is not some game!"

"It is to him, sir, it is to him."

Jeff looked helplessly from one man to the next, hoping that someone was going to talk sense and not come out with a plan that would potentially jeopardise Virgil's safety. But when everyone in earshot simply began to look thoughtful, someone even running off to check the recording once again to make sure nothing had been missed in terms of involving the press, Jeff knew that he was fighting a losing battle.

"Just promise me that this won't get Virgil hurt?" he implored, knowing that he had no choice but to go along with it if it had the chance of bringing his son back to him. Flinn smiled reassuringly, and it seemed to completely transform his face.

"You have my word. We wouldn't go ahead with anything that would put the hostages' safety at risk."

Jeff froze for a long moment, desperately wanting to carry on arguing. But then he realised that it could be potentially him putting Virgil in even more danger if he didn't do all that he possibly could to bring his son back. Looking down at the table, he eventually nodded.

"Right, I'll put in some calls. We can have someone out by the morning."

"But don't we need to move quicker than that?" Swinger protested, scowling at Flinn. "We need to put the message out _now,_ not wait for someone to turn up."

"Unless you have a journalist hiding up your sleeve..."

"Actually, 'scuse the interruption, sir..." Nick seemed to visibly deflate as Jeff, Flinn and Swinger all turned to face him. For a moment, he simply shifted his weight from one foot to the other, looking down at the ground.

"Speak up, boy," Flinn snapped, and Nick swallowed hard before looking up.

"I was speaking to security earlier. They mentioned that there was someone they were trying to remove from the hotel, but no longer can kick out because of what has happened, might be a witness..."

"No." Jeff had a horrible feeling that he knew where this was going. All the guests had been prevented from leaving if they were present when the kidnappings had occurred, just in case they were either involved or perhaps even witnessed something. Flinn wanted everyone to be questioned. "Not him."

"Who?"

"His name is Cowlishaw," Nick continued, shooting Jeff an apologetic look as the father scowled. Swinger, however, looked curious. "He is a reporter known to be harassing Mr Tracy's sons, hence the removal from the hotel. But he is still here."

"Get him."

"I'm not letting him anywhere near this!" Jeff protested, rising to his feet slightly. "He threatened Scott, he hurt John... I'm not giving him the satisfaction of knowing that he can make his story from my family."

"It isn't just your family involved, Tracy. Get him!" Swinger ordered, and Nick hurried off. "Unless you would rather wait several hours for someone to be found, and then briefed about both our families and the situation. Cowlishaw clearly knows your family whether you want him to or not. He also knows mine, I must admit, he did an article a few months ago about Oscar's latest expulsion from school, he knows our situation. He might be able to help."

"But..."

"Mr Tracy, if you want to find your son, we need to start things moving. Mr Swinger is right, using the assets we already have here will be a great help. I can personally guarantee that he won't go anywhere near the rest of your children without your say so."

Once again, Jeff felt like he had been cornered. He might hate the man - he had hurt John and antagonised Scott - but could he really risk Virgil's life on just his own personal feelings? He gave a short nod and sat down again, glaring angrily at the table. The sooner he found Virgil the better. At least it would mean that he wouldn't have to deal with people like Swinger and Cowlishaw anymore.

TBTBT

"Scott! Hey, Scotty, wait up!"

The teenager jumped at the sound of his younger brother's voice floating down the hallway and turned sharply.

"John? What are you doing? Go back! How did you even get past Jack?"

John shrugged, a glint in his eye that made Scott have a worrying thought about John being the one that Gordongot it from as he bounded up to his brother.

"I told him the secret mission that you had that was suddenly so important needed me along too."

"You don't even know what I'm doing."

"No, but I know it has something to do with why I haven't seen Dad since last night, not even for breakfast. I know it has something to do with why Jack is babysitting the babies and why there seems to be a security guard pacing our corridor. I also know that it has something to do with Virgil, so I'm coming."

Scott blinked, trying to deny that there was a smile tugging at his lips. He should have known that whilst he might have been able to utter some excuse about being old enough to look after himself and needing air in order to sneak out past Jack, it would not have worked on John.

"How did you get past the security guard?" the older brother asked quizzically, suddenly not being sure if he wanted to know the answer. John shrugged, falling into step with Scott as the pair of them set off down the corridor again.

"Pushed the cleaning trolley into the opposite wall and then ran when he went to look. How about you?"

"Same, but with the maintenance trolley."

John laughed, nudging his brother with his shoulder as he did so. "I _knew_ that had been right by the door last night. I did wonder why it was now halfway down the corridor. So, where we going?"

"We're not going anywhere. You are going back to Jack."

"No way." There was a note in John's voice that had Scott groaning. He would have forcibly taken John back himself if it wasn't for the security guard. He didn't think that he could get John into the room, then get himself back out again without being stopped. Jack might have been a pushover for the fifteen-year-old, but Scott had no desire to go up against the guard. Not to mention he was sure it would involve Jeff being told, and the last thing the eldest brother wanted was for his father to find out that he wasn't staying put when he should have been.

"John, someone could have hurt Virg..."

"I know. Meaning it is safer for you if I'm along as well. You'd save me, wouldn't you, Scotty?"

Scott couldn't help but swear at the look John was giving him. His kid brother knew precisely how to play him.

"John..."

"Scott, I'm not a kid, stop treating me like one. I'm coming, whether you like it or not. So one last time, where are we actually going?"

Whether it was the way that John delivered the words this time, or whether Scott wanted the company more than he himself realised, but the older brother couldn't bring himself to argue.

"I'm not completely sure. Someone came once you guys had gone to bed last night. They dropped something off, something that Dad wouldn't let me see, but I'm almost convinced it has something to do with Virg."

"Right..."

"You know they think he has been taken?" Scott was just thankful that John didn't comment on the way his voice suddenly seemed to shake during that sentence and mentally scolded himself for showing his weakness to his little brother, especially because John seemed to think that he would have all the answers as always, despite the fact that Scott had no idea what was going on. He could see John nod out of the corner of his eye and pressed on before he let himself dwell on that particular thought for too long.

"Well, I had this run-in with Swinger's bodyguard when we first realised that Virgil hadn't turned up for lunch. He seemed really furious that Oscar wasn't where he was supposed to be, to the point of bordering on violent."

Seeing John start, Scott shot him a reassuring smile but his pace didn't falter. "I'm fine, honest. But he was really mad. So it got me thinking..."

"About?" John had to practically run to keep up with Scott's long stride, but he didn't ask his brother to slow down at all. John was sure that if he gave Scott even a hint that he was struggling to keep up, it would give the older boy the excuse that he wanted to send John back. The blond might have been able to know what to say to get Scott to allow him to come along by playing on his faith that Scott was always there for them, but he knew without a doubt that his older brother could turn that back around on him quicker than he could blink. If that happened, John knew he would be back in the room before he even realised that he had agreed to go back.

"Well... John, this is going to sound slightly crazy, and I know Dad knows about it because I told him about the situation..."

"But?"

"And he was going to talk to Swinger about the man's behaviour in case he was hurting Oscar. I mean, I know the kid is a brat, but still..."

"Will you please just get to the point?" John demanded, wanting to know where Scott was going with this. He didn't want to suddenly be told that he had to feel sorry for the brat that had been making their break absolute hell. Yet something had obviously got Scott thinking, and John wanted to know what it was.

"What if..." Scott stopped so abruptly that John almost crashed into him. Glaring at his brother for good measure as he corrected his position and stood opposite him, John raised his eyebrows in expectation. If Scott dragged this out for any longer, he might have to hit him.

"What if he was so annoyed with Oscar for not being where he was supposed to be, he made sure that he couldn't get out again?"

"You mean...?"

"What if he locked Oscar up somewhere?"

"And Virgil?" John found that he was barely daring to breathe as he stared at Scott. His big brother had the same look on his face as the younger.

"Virg wouldn't have let something like that go if he saw it happening," Scott muttered, running a hand through his hair and finding that he was glancing up and down the corridor as he spoke. If the man was Swinger's bodyguard, then he would have had the same access as his boss, meaning he could get almost anywhere in the hotel.

"Virgil saw something, so the guy took him as well to make sure that he didn't tell anyone?"

Scott nodded, glad that John seemed to be thinking along the same wavelength as he was.

"But then surely we need to tell Dad?"

"John, if this guy took the kids from right under Swinger's nose, he's not exactly going to be hanging about for them to talk to him, is he?"

"So how are we going to find him?" John thought he knew what Scott was thinking, but now he wasn't so sure where his brother was coming from, yet that didn't stop him immediately trying to fall back into step with his big brother as Scott started moving down the corridor once more.

"You know the great thing about being a kid, Johnny?" In a way, Scott knew that one good thing had come out of all of this. John was so distracted about what was happening with Virgil that he had forgotten to react to Scott calling him 'Johnny'. It seemed that he was putting to one side what had happened with the complete jerk of a reporter, at least for now. When John just glanced at him, Scott continued.

"No one looks twice when you start wandering around, it's like they just look over your head. Gords and Alan won't be able to do it, they are too little. But we, star-boy, have the run of this place right now, even if it is crawling with cops."

"But that doesn't explain how we are going to find him," John protested. He could see the logic in what Scott was saying, but there did seem to be a flaw. "If he has taken Virg and locked him up somewhere, he's not going to be just lurking around waiting for us to find him. He would have gone far away - and taken Virg with him..."

"John, don't freak out on me, kiddo."

"But... someone has taken Virgil, Scott!" John eventually cried, coming to a stop and staring at Scott as he did so, eyes brimming with tears. "He's my little brother too, and now he has disappeared."

"And we are going to find him," Scott interrupted firmly, debating whether or not to send John back. But even if the younger boy was getting upset, something told him that his brother wasn't simply going to go, not when Scott had an idea of what might have happened.

"How? Face it, Scott, it's a great theory, but that doesn't mean that we are going to find him."

Scott bit his lip as he stared at John. His younger brother had a point. He might have worked out all the motives and reasoning behind the man's actions, but unless they had some way of finding out where he was, that was all it was. A theory.

"I don't know," he eventually muttered, slumping against the wall. It had all seemed like such a great idea: sneak away from Jack and the security guard, find the man and rescue his brother. Not only would it have meant that Virgil was back where he belonged, it would show people such as Swinger that he was not to be treated as a child. Yet John was right. Now it came to it, he had no idea where he was supposed to even start looking.

"I do," John suddenly said, and when Scott glanced at him, he blinked in surprise. There was a small smile on his face, a look that made him look almost as protective as Scott was feeling. But he wasn't looking at Scott. Instead, he was staring at something further down the corridor. Scott followed his gaze, and felt a similar smile on his face.

Time to get Virgil back.

"Come on," he whispered, setting off swiftly down the corridor. Just disappearing around the hallway was the unmistakeable figure of the bodyguard.

As the two boys started running after him, John just about realised that he didn't have to struggle in order to keep up with Scott this time. Nothing was going to stand in his way of getting to Virgil.


	17. Chapter 17

**Thank you so much for the amazing reviews, apologies to those I didn't get around to responding directly to, busy week. They were all very much appreciated!**

Jeff was glaring at the table as he waited for the men to get back. Two of them had been dispatched to find Cowlishaw, and Jeff wasn't sure whether or not he was hoping the man had done as he was told and actually left. Nick hadn't been able to find him beforehand, hence two members of the security team had gone looking for the elusive reporter. He could understand where the others were coming from since the kidnapper hadn't mentioned anything about keeping it quiet, but out of all the journalists in the world, why did the one covering such a personal event have to be one that Jeff hated? Apparently security had told him he had two days to pack his belongings and get out. Whilst the hotel was worried that he could damage their reputation, they apparently had to give a little warning before asking someone to leave, meaning they didn't just throw people out unceremoniously. Jeff knew the chances that the man had gone would be slim, he would have waited for as long as he possibly could before making his move, just in case he managed to get the story he was so desperately after. Jeff scowled at the irony of the thought: the man had got his story alright.

"Sir?" Jeff glanced up, attempting to school his face into a more neutral expression when he saw Nick standing there. He had learnt the hard way when dealing with unsavoury businessmen; it did no one any good to take your anger out on the wrong person. He needed the police on his side when it came to finding Virgil, and if that just meant smiling at the young man who was bringing him coffee, then so be it.

"Nick," he acknowledged, not wanting to be engaged in a conversation he had no interest in. All he wanted to do was find Virgil, but when he had attempted to leave the room before, Flinn had ordered two of his men to stop him. Apparently they were afraid he would do something stupid that would jeopardise the boys' safety. Jeff had indeed been planning on doing something, although whether it was going to be stupid or not, he had no idea. It wouldn't even be so bad if he knew what he was dealing with, if it was money or some other item that the man wanted in exchange for his son. But there had been nothing mentioned, no indication about what game he was playing, the stakes, or the prize at the end. Jeff knew it was the only thing that had stopped him from pushing past security and getting out there to join the ever-searching teams. He couldn't risk Virgil on him doing the wrong thing.

"I have a message from Flinn, Sir."

"Yes?" If it had been any other situation, Jeff might have felt sorry for the young man, this case was clearly bigger than anything he had dealt with before and his nerves were showing. But Jeff couldn't afford for anyone to be nervous or less than clear about what they were supposed to be doing, not when he had no idea where Virgil was.

"If you are going to be talking to the journalist..."

"He is leaving me very little choice in that matter," Jeff mumbled bitterly under his breath, causing Nick to falter slightly. The father had no idea how much he sounded like his ten-year-old son in that moment, but simply waved his hand in apology and gestured for Nick to continue.

"Then he suggests that if you have close family that might be affected by the news of what has happened, you get in contact with them before you do. If Cowlishaw can get the news out fast, then they are going to find out one way or the other. It would be better if it came from you, Sir."

For some reason, that had been one of the last things that Jeff had expected Nick to say, and he slumped in his seat. He had been wondering whether to call his mother and tell her ever since he had found out that Virgil had been taken. She was always a pillar of support for not only him, but for all of his boys, and Jeff knew that they needed that now more than ever. Hope that Virgil would just turn back up again had stayed his hand for now, but it was apparent the situation was bigger than he originally thought. He was going to have to tell her. Some of his emotions must have shown on his face, for Nick grimaced sympathetically.

"There is a small room off from this one that is soundproofed; you will be able to have some privacy whilst you make the call. I'm afraid that you don't have long, I've just heard from Flinn that they found Cowlishaw – he was out on the beach, apparently – but they are bringing him in now. If you need to make a call, now might be the only chance you have to do it before everything kicks off."

"Thank you, Nick," Jeff sighed, hauling himself to his feet and beginning to walk in the direction the young man had indicated. It seemed ironic that the hotel was equipped to deal with the rich and famous, and yet they didn't have the security system in place to make sure that something like this didn't happen. As he took a few steps away, Jeff let his hand drift to his pocket, intending to pull out his cell, when Nick cleared his throat, sounding slightly sheepish.

"Nick?"

"Sorry, Sir, Flinn doesn't want you using your own phone." Closing his eyes with a sigh, Jeff was sure he could feel a headache building.

"Why?"

"We don't know what this man wants, or how he got close. He might have bugged it, or have ways of listening in." Nick reached into his own pocket and pulled out a phone that looked more like a brick. Jeff felt his eyebrows rise in astonishment.

"What is that?"

"I know it is not much too look at, but no one can listen in on it, it's specially designed. Please, Sir, just use this for now until we know for sure that yours is safe to use. For your son's sake."

Reaching out a hand, Jeff took the proffered device and walked into the room without a backwards glance. It was only as the door snapped shut behind him that he lost his composure, sagging back on it and blowing out a long breath. He had a feeling that Virgil's safety was going to control what he did or said a lot from now on. He wouldn't let anything be a potential risk to his son, and Jeff knew that for the first time in years, he was going to have to do precisely as he was told. A wry smile crossed his lips as he punched in the well-known number, wondering how his mother was going to take the news that Jeff was finally behaving. It was a futile attempt to stop him thinking about the way that he was going to deliver the news that her grandson was missing. He refused to think about the way his hand was shaking as he raised the phone to his ear. Willing his mother to pick up, Jeff felt his breath catch in his throat when the phone finally connected.

"Mom?"

"Jefferson? Jeff, is that you? I wasn't expecting to hear from you boys."

"Mom...something's happened."

"Jeff?"

The father could almost hear the way she sucked in a sharp breath, clearly picking up on something in the tone of his voice to know that this was not a simple call to enquire about her health. His words stuttering and slipping over each other, Jeff slowly began to tell her what had happened, ignoring the way his heart was clenching as he did so. Saying it out loud, actually having to break the news to someone that his son had been kidnapped made it all seem very real. In order to tell someone else, Jeff had to admit it to himself, and the businessman was just glad that there was a chair in the room that he could sink into when he heard his mother's shocked cry over the phone.

Ten minutes later, however, and Jeff stood back up again. His eyes were swimming with tears of frustration and concern that he would never let anyone else witness and his head was ringing with his mother's reassurances that everything was going to work out just fine. Somehow, he found himself believing her even if he wasn't yet sure how things would be able to sort themselves out when he had absolutely no idea whatsoever about where his son was. But there was one thing he couldn't even pretend to deny being happy about.

He wasn't going to have to handle this alone. She was getting on the next plane up there. Jeff had half-heartedly attempted to tell her not to, not wanting to have someone else to worry about, but as soon as she mentioned the rest of the boys, he knew that she had a point. Someone needed to be there for Gordon and Alan, to tell Scott and John that it was going to be okay. Jack might have worked as a last-minute babysitter, but Jeff couldn't expect him to keep on doing it. Nor could he expect the boys to just accept that. He had promised them he would be there for them more, but now his attention was going to be diverted until this situation resolved itself. At least having his mother around would mean the boys had someone they could rely on to look after them.

Letting himself out of the room, Jeff downed the last of his coffee, grimacing at the cold aftertaste. As Nick glanced at him quizzically, Jeff offered a small smile.

"Once my mother gets here, my coffee will be restricted."

"Understood, Sir."

Jeff was sure he could see the twinkle in Nick's eyes as he hastily excused himself from the room after taking the phone, no doubt under strict instructions to return it to Flinn. Throwing himself back into his previous seat, Jeff found himself once more staring at the table, his fingers drumming.

Why was it taking so long to just give him a few simple answers about where on earth his son was?

TBTBTB

Scott yanked John around the corner, both boys running swiftly as they shadowed the bodyguard. He was striding down the corridor with sure and confident steps, not making it at all easy for the two teenagers adamant on catching him. Thinking the man was about to look around, Scott suddenly stopped, causing John to crash into his back with a muffled curse that his older brother didn't even realise he knew, let alone expect John to use.

"What did you stop for?" the younger of the two said thickly, his eyes watering as he rubbed his stinging nose. John was almost as tall as his big brother these days, meaning his nose had collided with the back of Scott's shoulder. He had always thought that his brother was pretty solid, but now he was convinced of it.

"We're running out of corridor," Scott muttered, not realising that John had started to stand on his tiptoes in order to peer over his big brother's shoulder. They had been following the man around the hotel for what felt like an age, and apart from never seeming to stop walking, he hadn't done anything that confirmed Scott's suspicions. He was trying to pretend that meant he hadn't done anything to deny them either, but he knew he was possibly clutching at straws a little bit there.

"So then where do we go?"

Scott shrugged, turning to face John as he did so. Or more specifically, turned so that he could get a look at the hallway they had just sprinted down, searching for some sort of sign that would give him a clue as to where this chase was leading. There was no way the man could know that he was being followed, for he hadn't once so much as glanced over his shoulder and Scott knew they had both been quick on their feet to avoid detection. Frowning, his eyes scanned all the doorways off the corridor, wildly wondering if Virgil was behind any of them.

"Wha-?" John's exclamation made Scott glance to his brother, then spin around again. John blinked, looking nothing short of startled as he finally looked at Scott. "Where did he go?"

Scott could only mutely shake his head, taking a few steps forward. The man was large, it was how they had recognised him as being Swinger's bodyguard in the first place. Their chase around the hotel had shown that he could move with some considerable speed, though, and it seemed he hadn't waited for his two shadows to realise that he was on the move again. Instead, he had just vanished.

"Come on." Grabbing John's arm, Scott tried pulling him forward a few paces.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" John, it seemed, didn't want to move in the direction his brother was trying to pull him in. His teeth were worrying his bottom lip as he glanced between Scott and the now empty corridor.

"You were the one who refused to go back," Scott began warningly, frowning. He hadn't wanted John along with him in the first place, but when the younger boy had insisted, he had assumed that would mean that his brother would do as he was told and definitely not be complaining about what they were doing. John dropped his eyes slightly.

"I know, I still want to come with you. We've followed him all over the hotel though, Scott. What if he was trying to make sure that no one was following him? What if he does have Virg, in one of these rooms?"

"Then it is up to us to find him and get our brother back." Deciding that the conversation was over, Scott took a few more steps. If John didn't want to come, then that was fine by Scott. But he couldn't risk being separated from Virgil by nothing more than a door and letting his brother down. He didn't make it very far, however, before John echoed his previous actions and grabbed onto his brother's arm.

"Do you really think that Virg would have gone quietly? This is Virgil we are talking about, he doesn't know quiet any more than Gordon does. This guy is dangerous, Scott, and we are nothing more than kids."

"Speak for yourself!" Scott snapped, pushing John back until his brother was forced to let go of his arm. Free from the grip, Scott took a few more paces, but then realised that John was still just standing there. Despite wanting to find one brother, Scott had no desire to lose another in the process. They were the opposite end of the hotel from their room, and even knowing that Jack must have realised by now that they had tricked him and possibly even have people looking for them, Scott didn't want John walking back on his own. He knew that he would have to reach some kind of compromise here, for each Tracy was just as stubborn as the other. John would not back down any more than Scott would. Blowing out a long breath, Scott bit back a groan as he looked John in the eye.

"Just check this hallway with me, Johnny? Then we'll go back, and even tell Dad if we get the chance. But could you honestly walk away, knowing that Virgil could be up here?" Scott knew he had won even before John shook his head. Beginning to walk away once again, the older brother kept his pace slower this time, letting John fall into step with him. John hadn't known that he would be dragged on a wild goose chase when he had agreed to come with Scott, and even the elder had to admit he was feeling tired. The two walked companionably down the hallway, not saying anything to each other. But Scott knew that John was on the lookout as much as he was.

"I'm glad you came with me, kid," he eventually muttered, realising the idea of having to do this whole chase on his own would have made it nothing short of boring, even if he was attempting to find Virgil.

"Me to…ahh!"

Scott thought that his heart was going to burst from his chest. One moment, his brother had been walking next to him, and the next, something had grabbed John by the arm and pulled him harshly into one of the rooms.

"Let him go!" Scott yelled, not even thinking about what he was doing, but diving into the room after his brother. Only as the door snapped shut behind him did he realise that possibly wasn't a good idea. The very man they had been following had a tight grip on John's arm as he glared at Scott.

"Why are you following me?"

"Let my brothers go!"

The man sighed, glancing down at John before letting go, giving him a nudge over to Scott. Scott could hear John's shaky breathing as his little brother ducked behind him, for once more than happy to let Scott play the hero card and look out for him.

"Both of them! Let Virgil go!"

"I can assure you, kid, I don't have your brother. But I'm assuming that is the reason you have been tailing me around the entire hotel. I have to admit, you didn't do too badly for kids."

Scott stared at him. This man had been the one to grab John and practically attack Scott himself down on the beach. He had to know what was going on, for why else would he act like that?

"You don't know where they are?"

Personally, Scott had been more about to demand that he let them go rather than take John's quiet approach, but something in the man's eyes flickered at John's words and he almost seemed to soften.

"My name is Thomas Howard."

"John. My big brother here is Scott."

"Where is he then?" Ignoring the pleasantries being exchanged around him, Scott could only stare. He had been so sure about this, but even he had to admit that Thomas wasn't exactly acting like a kidnapper.

"He's a little rude." John gave Scott a sharp poke in the back. "But I don't understand, you pulled me in here..."

"I knew that someone was following me."

"And you grabbed Scott down on the beach. I bet you aren't very nice to Oscar."

"Who would be?" Thomas muttered, and Scott had to agree with him. But rather than voice that agreement out loud, he instead made sure that John was still behind him and therefore not a target.

"Why would you do that if you had nothing to do with their disappearance?" Scott asked, trying to keep his voice polite but knowing that he wasn't quite managing it in the way that John had done. Unlike his brother, Scott's ability to talk to adults had come through sheer necessity when he had realised their father wasn't about to fix all of their problems. John's just seem to come to him naturally.

"You still believe that I had something to do with it?" Thomas asked quietly, turning away from the two boys for a moment. Scott almost flinched as he turned back again, but the man did nothing other than push a couple of chairs over towards them.

"You might want to sit down, this is going to take a while to explain."

"I don't have a while, I need to know where my brother is!" John slipped into the offered chair, but Scott ran a hand through his hair in distress. If he had indeed got this completely wrong (and he knew deep down that he must have done), then it meant that they were no closer to finding Virgil than they had been when they had first started following Thomas.

"Mr Howard, if you know something about where my brother is..."

"I have no idea where your brother is. If it wasn't for the fact that Oscar is also missing, I would even go as far as saying that I didn't care. But I have to find that brat..."

"Why?" Scott wasn't able to sit down, but John's glare had at least stopped him from pacing the small room they were in. "You've already implied that you don't care about Oscar."

"I don't." Thomas sighed heavily, and Scott couldn't stop the sudden feeling that he might have not only got it wrong about Thomas being involved in the kidnapping, but got the man wrong altogether. "But I do care about my family. The last time Oscar disappeared, Swinger made it very apparent what would happen if I failed again. My little boy, he's only two... I have to find the brat before we lose everything – my job, our home, the school he has his name down for..."

"Okay, okay," Scott interrupted, not wanting the man to end up having some sort of breakdown on him. He was sure that John would never let him forget it if that was the case, especially as it had been Scott who had nothing short of insisted they follow the man. "Why don't you start from the beginning?"

Forgetting that he already believed that Jack would be looking for them, Scott sat himself down. If he knew what happened last time Oscar had disappeared, then maybe it would give him some sort of clue as to what had happened this time.

When the man finally finished talking, Scott glanced at John. His brother looked like he believed what had just been said. Scott wasn't so sure, he never trusted anything that easily any more. For all he knew, it could just be a trick, a trap of some sort that he had just led John straight into. Wondering whether they should tell their father, Scott let his eyes drift to his watch, but that made up his mind for him. There was less than half an hour to go until his father would hear from the kidnapper again, if what Scott had heard was anything to go by. So when Thomas offered them a drink and John said yes, Scott couldn't find it in his heart to drag his brother away.

TBTBTB

The movement outside the door made Jeff lift his head. He had spent the last hour or so simply stuck in the room, waiting to hear what was going to happen next. His mood had not been helped by the fact that Swinger had also been told to stay in there, the two men sending each other occasional glares from across the room. Jeff knew that he hadn't been the best father of late, but after hearing the way Oscar had been lying and honestly expecting to get away with it... Swinger's reaction to his son's behaviour had almost made Jeff look like father of the year. It by no means made him proud, but he simply couldn't understand how the man didn't seem to care at all what happened to his son. The fact that Oscar was his only child simply made Jeff even more confused.

Luckily, it seemed their wait was over. Flinn walked into the room, holding the door open for the two security guards. With one man gripping each arm, Cowlishaw could only glare as he was hauled into the room.

"Where was he?" Jeff muttered, not really caring, but inwardly cursing Cowlishaw for not making himself accessible before. If they hadn't had to stop and search for the journalist, they might have been closer to finding Virgil.

"Trying to force an entry into Gregor's room."

"The billionaire?"

"The _corrupt_ billionaire. I only wanted proof."

Jeff had to actually clench his fist in order to stop himself from copying his eldest son and simply punching the man. But Scott had had the protection of his age to allow him to get away with the action, and Jeff really didn't have time for matters to get even more complicated than they already were.

"He has been informed, I trust? There can be no more delays." Swinger's dull tone was almost a blessing as the man walked across the room and stood in front of Cowlishaw, very clearly looking him up and down. Whilst the journalist had seemed something of a threat when he had sprung on them out in the grounds whilst Jeff had been talking to Scott, he seemed to almost deflate under Swinger's gaze. Jeff realised that he was beginning to struggle to pick which one of them he hated more, yet he had no choice but to work with both in order to get Virgil back.

"He has, Sir. And he has agreed to be the liaison with the press as well."

"Agreed? Forced more like..." Cowlishaw muttered, but Flinn just rolled his eyes as he gestured for the guards to let go of him and leave the room. Jeff wasn't fooled though, he could see the look in Cowlishaw's eyes. He might be protesting, but he wasn't going to give up the chance of a story this big.

"You were the one trying to break into a room that you had no business being in. I can still just have you taken downtown if you would prefer...?"

"I'll do it."

Jeff shook his head, standing up and walking to the opposite end of the room. He didn't want anyone to notice that the tears were once more back in his eyes. He was so desperately worried about Virgil, yet was stuck listening to idiots squabbling about nothing in the belief they truly did know what was the best thing to do in order to keep his son safe. The murmur of voices from behind him made Jeff feel like he should turn around and join in, but he wasn't actually sure if he could take it or not. They had been told to stay in this room for so long, all he wanted to do was to go and be with the rest of the boys, to be able to promise them that Virgil would be back with them soon. But until he could make that promise with a clear conscience that he could keep it, Jeff knew he had to stay here.

"Sir?"

"Hmm?" Realising that he was being addressed, Jeff turned back around again, making the point of only looking towards Flinn rather than any of the others.

"Cowlishaw here..." The way Flinn spoke gave away that he clearly felt no warmth towards the reporter either. "...suggested that he should talk to the last people who saw Virgil, to see if he could gain any new information."

"No." Jeff didn't think Swinger had ever said a truer word than he did in that moment. "You're the detective, you can sort out witnesses and eye-witness accounts, anything like that. He can do what we ask of him, nothing more. I don't want a journalist involved in this investigation any more than necessary. You shall be our liaison with the press, no more, no less, do I make myself clear?"

Cowlishaw glared at Swinger, contempt almost seeming to radiate off him. Yet somehow, he managed to bury that away as he turned to face Jeff.

"But surely a child's plea for their brother to come home will touch more hearts...? Let me talk to your sons, Je-Mr Tracy."

"After what you did to John?" The anger was obviously burning brighter than Jeff realised, for Flinn immediately stepped forward to stand in-between the two men and make sure that nothing could happen. "You aren't going anywhere near my sons. No, you can do precisely what Swinger says. And don't talk to me unless it is to do with the case."

Cowlishaw's glare deepened to an almost scary depth, but Jeff had already turned away. He was not going to let this be what gave Cowlishaw the story he had been after all along.

"Now everyone knows what the situation is, I suggest that we begin to make our way down to the pool."

Jeff blinked at Flinn, anger clouding his mind for a moment. He wasn't the only one who wasn't quite keeping up with events, for Swinger also looked confused.

"Why the hell do I want to go there?"

"Because, Sir, it is nearly three o'clock. And did the kidnapper not say that you had to be there for the next transmission?" As Flinn finished speaking, Jeff could feel his heart thudding hard. Part of him hoped that he would be able to see Virgil again, to at least get a glimpse of his son to make sure that he was alright, but the other part of him was scared of that very thing. What if Virgil wasn't alright, and Jeff had to see his boy suffer, knowing that there was nothing he could do about it?

"Transmission?"

Flinn rolled his eyes at the curiosity in Cowlishaw's voice.

"You can come with us; I'll fill you in on the way. Nick is already down there, and can confirm there is a laptop there, waiting." Flinn pulled open the door and grabbed Cowlishaw by the arm.

"He's not coming." His words were blunt and almost bordering on rude as he glared at Cowlishaw, but Jeff didn't care.

"But, Mr Tracy, your link with the press... you need him..." Flinn clearly didn't know the reasoning behind the sparks flying from Jeff's eyes as he vehemently shook his head.

"Anything he needs to know, we shall tell him afterwards. But I'm not having him there."

"Very well, Mr Cowlishaw, if you could be so kind..."

"And he's not going anywhere near my other sons, either." Jeff couldn't stop his glare turning almost suspicious. He knew what the man was like, knew that the second Jeff's back was turned, he would use it as an excuse to get close to the other boys, feigning ignorance if caught out about it. Jeff didn't have the time to deal with another situation such as the one with John. Much as he knew he needed to be there for the other boys, that was partly why his mother was coming down. She could be their shoulder to cry on whilst he focused on getting their brother back. He knew Scott and John would want to help, Scott's determination to stay out with the search teams having proven that much. If he was honest, Jeff wasn't sure either Gordon or Alan truly understood what was going on, and he knew they would accept their grandmother's presence almost without question. But she couldn't arrive until the next morning at the very earliest, and Jeff didn't trust the reporter to stay away from his boys in that time.

"Understood," Flinn said with a nod, making the point of showing that Jeff's request had been overheard. "Cowlishaw, if you even go so much as to the floor where the rest of the Tracys are staying, you're off this case and you'll be sent packing, do you understand?"

"I don't even know what floor they are on," Cowlishaw protested, but it wasn't good enough for Jeff. He needed the man to say it, needed something definite to fall back on if Cowlishaw broke his word. Flinn caught the look on his face and nodded again.

"Give me your word you will not seek out the Tracys, nor go anywhere near them should you be given information regarding their whereabouts."

"What if I find out where the missing one is, am I still not allowed to go anywhere near the kid?"

The smirk on the man's face made Jeff lunge forward, his face practically snarling in anger. The man was taking all this like it was just his story, not caring about the fact that there were potentially children's lives being put at risk as they spoke. Flinn moved swiftly, stopping Jeff from reaching Cowlishaw. In fairness, the reporter had stepped back with a slightly worried look on his face, realising that whilst Jeff had been angry when the man had overheard his conversation with Scott out in the gardens, it was nothing compared to how he was feeling now.

"Okay, okay, you have my word."

"Don't give him what he wants, Sir. Your son needs you right now, and we need him in order to try and find them. My men are still scouring the grounds. We need him." Flinn pushed Jeff out into the corridor as he spoke before he turned to face Cowlishaw again.

"You, go back and start writing, or whatever it is that you need to do. Harris here will escort you, and keep you company."

"Babysit me, more like."

"Just start on the story." Flinn muttered, nodding to a security guard. The man stepped forward, taking hold of Cowlishaw's arm and pulling him further back into the room, shutting the door behind them. Flinn sighed.

"Mr Tracy, Mr Swinger, after you."

Following Swinger down the corridor, Jeff could only hope that if he did get to see Virgil, that he would be able to hold it together long enough to offer his son the reassurance that he needed.


	18. Chapter 18

**Thank you so much once again!**

The walk down the winding corridors towards the pool was one of the most painful walks Jeff had ever taken. Every step he took, he could hear the thud as his foot hit the floor, almost feel the way the motion shot up through his body and clenched at his heart. But the grip didn't lessen, it just continued to intensify every time his foot was put down again, and by the time Flinn finally brought them to a stop, Jeff knew that he was almost hyperventilating. He couldn't get the image of Virgil from the last time out of his head, clearly afraid yet the defiance shining through brightly. What if that defiance had gone, what if...?

"Sir?"

There was a calming hand gripping his shoulder almost before Jeff realised that they had stopped moving, and the father blinked.

"I'm fine," he muttered, his voice hoarse and making him sound anything but fine. How could Swinger just stand there, looking like he was taking this all in his stride even though they were possibly about to find out what this kidnapper wanted and what their sons' fate would be if they didn't give it to him? Personally, Jeff was happy to hand over everything he could get his hands on if it meant that his boy safe. Yet he wasn't sure that Swinger would do the same thing, or that Flinn would let him. Considering the way he had approached the issue surrounding the media – proving that it wouldn't put the boys in direct danger but perhaps could help them catch the man responsible – Jeff was certain that Flinn would do everything in his power to get the boys back. But he also had a feeling that he was the type of officer who would by no stretch of the imagination even contemplate doing a deal with the man behind all this.

That wasn't the only thing that was worrying Jeff. It wasn't so much that they wouldn't want to do a deal with this man, but more the fact that whoever they were going up against seemed to know exactly what he was doing. There had been teams scouring every inch of the hotel since the alarm had been raised, something that felt like weeks ago to Jeff now. The only thing they had found that aroused suspicion was a room on the ground floor, its position meaning that Virgil would have walked straight past it. It looked like a security room considering the way the cameras were all being monitored and clearly controlled, but the security team had vouched that it had nothing to do with the experts set to work, they were able to reveal that someone had tampered with the cameras, turning them manually rather than letting them rotate as normal. Apparently that wasn't uncommon, if there was an issue somewhere, the cameras were moved, it was why it hadn't flagged up on the system. But a thorough check had revealed that none of the security men had been anywhere near the room, and a background check of other staff and guests had left very limited options regarding who would know how to work this sort of technology. They didn't even know if it had anything to do with the disappearances as of yet, but it was the only lead they had. Jeff only knew of one name that was being uttered in suspicion, and that was Swinger's bodyguard. He didn't really believe that one of Swinger's own staff could have anything to do with the boys' disappearance, but considering what Scott had told him before...

"Are you sure you can do this?"

Flinn's voice cut through his thoughts before Jeff had the chance to properly work himself up and he blinked. The officer's tone might have been reassuring, a grounding tone to it that caused Jeff to feel a rush of gratitude towards the man, but someone else cut in before Jeff had the chance to answer.

"I don't have all day, let's get this over with."

It was hard to tell who looked more shocked at Swinger's harsh words, but they had no time to do anything other than exchange surprised looks before the man had wrenched open the door and marched in. Even from the angle that he was at, Jeff could see that the room was a small one, perhaps used for extra storage for things like towels at the pool. There was frosted glass on the far wall, and judging by the way the light seemed to be dancing on the other side and the shouts of laughter that could be heard, Jeff knew it backed onto the pool itself. He wondered if the parents separated from him by just a sheet of glass knew to watch their children closely, to never ever let them out of their sight - the way Jeff knew he should have done with his.

"Nick, see that he doesn't touch anything," Flinn ordered, causing the young deputy to hurry into the room. Judging by the scowl on Flinn's face, he had been hoping to do a proper sweep of the room before the broadcast, but by the fact that Swinger had already entered and time was running short, Jeff knew without having to ask that it was no longer going to be possible. The room hadn't been part of their initial search by how out of the way and almost random it was, yet the kidnapper was clearly using that to his advantage.

"Sir, I need to know you can do this. You remember what we said on the way down? Give nothing away about the attempts to find the boys, let him hear what he needs to hear, but under no circumstances promise him anything."

"I know," Jeff muttered distractedly, his eyes looking over Flinn's shoulder in order to try and see more of the room. As he shifted his position, he saw a small table in the middle of the room, a black laptop sitting innocently on top. His breath caught in his throat as he looked at it, knowing that it would be the one thing that could give him access to his son. Nick was already standing between Swinger and the device, looking nervous. Jeff knew full well that should the businessman attempt to go for the laptop, there wouldn't actually be a lot Nick would be able to do in order to stop him.

Yet although he was looking at it, Jeff wasn't sure he was really seeing it. It was as though his mind had almost gone fuzzy now that he realised that this was it. He had spent the whole journey down here dreading what would happen when they reached the room at the time specified, but now that it had come to it, Jeff wanted nothing more than to get in there. Not only to get it over and done with, but because it was driving him wild not knowing what was happening with Virgil right now. He just had to see the boy, to be able to tell him that everything was going to be alright, then he knew that he would be able to think straight once again.

"Jeff?"

"Let's do this." Knowing that Flinn's slip in formality was simply his way of getting through to the father, Jeff met the man's eyes and nodded. It would be one of the hardest things he had ever done, but he would stay true to his word. He wouldn't make promises that he couldn't keep, he wouldn't mess this up. But at the same time, if Virgil had been hurt in any way, then there would be hell to pay. Flinn seemed to see the determination spiralling in Jeff's eyes and he nodded, stepping to one side to let the father through first. Jeff took one step into the room, but then found himself almost freezing. He desperately wanted to see Virgil, to make sure that his son was alright, but now it came to it, Jeff found that his hands were shaking ever so slightly.

"Shall we get this show on the road then?"

His smile disappearing as fast as it had appeared at the fact Swinger was still sounding dismissive, Jeff swallowed nervously as Flinn nodded. Both he and Nick took up position behind the laptop, meaning that if some sort of camera was used, the kidnapper would not be aware that there were two cops in the room. Flinn pulled on a pair of gloves and carefully lifted the screen, activating the device as he did so. Nick already had recording equipment at the ready and despite his earlier lack of confidence when dealing with Jeff, he seemed to truly know what he was doing this time.

No sooner had Jeff's watch indicated that it was three o'clock, than the laptop flared into life. The father had to admit to it actually making him jump, but he found himself almost holding his breath as a screen seemed to pop up. The signs making it obvious they would have to click for anything to happen, Jeff leant forward, determined to be the one to get there before Swinger could make a move. He wasn't completely sure whether the man would delete it rather than open it. As soon as he instructed the machine to play, Jeff couldn't help but frown in confusion as music rang out. He knew those sounds, he was sure of it...

The screen remained blank for a moment as the music continued to play, and Jeff had just placed where he knew it from when an image sprang to life. It was one of the cartoons that the boys liked to watch in the mornings, ones that had Alan giggling even when he had been in one of his moods. But why on earth would it be on the screen now? Glancing at Swinger, he knew that it had no personal meaning to the man either. Feeling nervous at the fact that he had no idea what this was supposed to mean, Jeff swallowed as he turned his attention back to the screen.

For the next ten minutes, the two men watched through various clips of the cartoon. Jeff found that by the time it came to a close, his hands were shaking. Every single image had been one of violence, the characters being knocked out or hurt in some way or another. He knew it was all intended as humour, it was something aimed at children after all. But considering the only reason why he was watching it in the first place was because the same person showing it to him had kidnapped his son, Jeff was sure that there was a darker meaning behind it. It was meant as a warning.

Convinced that it was never going to end, Jeff felt his breath catch in his throat as the screen suddenly went blank again. Another box sprang up before anyone could say anything, and the sight he had been waiting for since knowing that there was going to be contact swam before his eyes. Jeff almost stretched out a shaky hand, wanting to reach straight through the screen and touch the object that it was trained on. He wanted to pull it back through, hold it in his arms and promise that nothing bad was ever going to happen to him again.

Virgil.

TBTBTB

"I'm bored."

Virgil sighed, shutting his eyes as he leant back on the wall where he was sitting. In a way, he was too. How could someone be kidnapped and then complain about being bored? But whilst Vader had been in twice more since they had had to make the disc for their fathers, dropping off food and water as well as throwing around a few threats, there was simply nothing to do. Their kidnapper had taken them out of the room one by one, and marched them down a corridor to a bathroom, a firm grip on their arms and a gun pressed into their spines. But it had given Virgil no real clue as to where he was: everything looked the same to him and he hadn't had the chance to do much more than crane his head around before being thrown back into the room and forced to listen as the door was locked once again.

They had tried to escape in so many ways imaginable - and several ways that were so ludicrous they made no sense to anyone but the two ten-year-old boys trying them. After Virgil had managed to jar his wrist yet again and it had left him in a sobbing heap as he waited for the fierce pain to go, they had given up. There was simply no way out of this room other than Vader forgetting to lock the door. Considering how guarded he had been every time he turned up, Virgil knew that their attempt to pull bricks out of the wall would work before the man slipped up.

"Virgil?"

"Mmm..."

"I'm _bored._"

"Mm."

"Do something!"

"Like what?" Finally looking at Oscar, Virgil tried to go for a glare, but knew that it had no power behind it. He was hungry, thirsty, tired and fed-up, not to mention his wrist was still throbbing slightly. The man had been bringing them food, but considering Virgil had just hit another growth spurt, it was by no means enough to keep him satisfied, even if he was just spending hours sitting there doing nothing. Hugging his legs to his chest, Virgil wrapped his arms around them and sighed, his chin resting on his knees.

"Something will happen today, I'm sure of it," he mumbled, more to himself than Oscar, but the other boy finally stopped fidgeting, looking at him with something that could resemble hope.

"We're getting out?"

"I wish," Virgil mumbled, scuffing his toe on the floor slightly. His grandmother hated it when he did that, claiming that he was just ruining good shoes. What he would do right now to hear her tell him off... "No, you remember what we had to say to the camera? About when the next broadcast was happening?"

"That's today?" Oscar's eyebrows rose in disbelief as Virgil nodded. He was almost sure it was today. But the room had no windows, and Vader's visits were few and far between. There was something unnerving about having no clue as to what the time was. Bored and with nothing to do, the boys slept at odd intervals, mainly as something to kill a few hours, but it meant that there was no structure to their day, nothing to give away what time it was. But although he couldn't be certain, Virgil had a very strong feeling that it was today.

"I think so."

"Do you think that my dad will even come?"

If someone had asked him a few days ago (or however long ago it was), that he would be feeling sorry for Oscar, Virgil would have laughed at them. He couldn't deny that the boy was still as annoying as ever, and whilst his faith that Virgil had all the answers had started off as something quite nice, it swiftly became irritating as he was forced to admit time and time again that he didn't know how they were going to get out. Oscar didn't take captivity well – he cried every time Vader returned and moaned whenever the man was gone, complaining that he had nothing to do as if that was Virgil's fault. But when it came to talking about his father, Virgil couldn't stop himself from feeling sorry for him.

"I don't know. He's_ your_ dad. But mine will, I _know_ he will. And he will have been doing all he can to find us and thinking up ways to kick Vader's ass from here to the moon and beyond. I still stand by what I said; I'm not leaving you here alone."

Oscar smiled tightly at him from across the room and Virgil returned it as strongly as he could even as he pulled his knees in tighter, trying to resist the urge to shut his eyes. He was just so tired, never daring to sleep more than a couple of hours in case an escape had presented itself and gone away again by the time he woke up. Part of him knew that it was completely irrational, but he couldn't get Oscar's words from a few days before out of his head. The boy had claimed that he might have run without him. The idea of being left here on his own absolutely terrified Virgil.

"Will you fight again?" Moving slowly, Oscar walked across the room and slid down the wall next to Virgil, only narrowly avoiding hitting his head on the bar as he did so. Virgil glanced at him out of the corner of his eye and shrugged. Oscar might not have been a good prisoner, but neither was Virgil. He fought against Vader with everything he had every time the man turned up, and he knew that was part of the reason why he was so tired. But if he fought this time, what if it meant that he wouldn't get to see his dad? There was no way Virgil was going to jeopardise that, so if he had to behave this once, then so be it.

He didn't get the chance to answer Oscar verbally, however, for both boys heard the one sound they had grown accustomed to listening out for. The door was unlocking. He might not have been sure whether he was going to fight or not, but Virgil still found himself climbing to his feet. He was not going to be looked down on as a weak child, not whilst he could do something about it.

Vader moved into the room slowly, the black bag holding his camera equipment slung over one shoulder and his gun in the other hand.

"Backs against the wall, boys," he rasped, and Virgil simply glared as he did as he was told. The two boys barely even dared to breathe as they watched him set up the camera not far from where they were standing, Virgil inwardly cursing that he still had managed to lock the door. When Vader was inside the room, he kept the door locked by a bolt high above their heads. It was when they were left on their own that the door was locked from the outside. Whoever was behind the mask seemed to know what he was doing and despite wanting to tear it off and reveal who it was, Virgil knew that he would never get the chance to do so. After watching him fiddle around for a long moment, Virgil couldn't help but swallow nervously as Vader turned to face them.

"Sit on the floor!" he ordered, and Oscar dropped without hesitating. Virgil made the point of showing that he was lowering himself to the ground, but that he was going to take his own time in doing it. Anything that would make this more awkward for his abductor, the better. He could see on the laptop that had been set up that something was already being broadcast, he just didn't know what. Vader, however, didn't seem to want to wait for Virgil and crossed the distance between them. His hand landed on the boy's shoulder and he gave him a hard shove, forcing him to the floor. It was Oscar that flinched although Virgil had to bite his lip to stop himself letting anything show.

"Feet together."

"What are you doing?" Virgil asked, hating the way his voice sounded like it was trembling.

"Don't question me, just do it."

"Virgil, please..." Oscar whispered, giving him a small nudge as the man turned away. Glaring in hatred, Virgil did as he was told, but yelled out when he saw the man returning with two lengths of rope.

"No! Don't you dare, what are you doing?" Leaping to his feet, Virgil moved away. What disconcerted him more was that Vader simply chuckled, bending down and tying Oscar's feet together before turning to face Virgil.

"I hoped you wouldn't make it easy. Means I can send much more of a message to your father."

Virgil took a step back as Vader took one towards him, the pair repeating their movements until another wall crashed into Virgil's back. He let out a small whimper as the man stalked towards him, suddenly realising just how tall he was, not helped by the menacing look to the mask. Surprisingly, Oscar had fallen completely silent.

Vader reached Virgil in just a couple of steps, grabbing onto his arm and spinning him around. Crying out in pain as his arms were then pulled behind him, Virgil bit back the tears as he felt the rope tie his hands behind his back.

"You see, your father is even more of a prize than the little brat's over there. I have so much more to threaten him with considering you have four brothers."

Virgil's breath hitched erratically in the fear that the man might go after his brothers, but he couldn't do anything as he was pulled away from the wall. The man's voice was so quiet, Virgil knew that the threat wouldn't have been heard by Oscar even as he felt his arm being taken in a vice-like grip once more. Unlike Oscar, however, he wasn't placed back against the wall, but dragged across the room and thrown to his knees in front of the camera. The man kept a grip on him as he fiddled with something, and Virgil flinched as a bright red light came on right in front of him.

With the camera sorted, Vader then leant further over whilst still maintaining his grip on Virgil, keeping him still. The laptop was turned around, and Virgil felt tears spring to his eyes at seeing his dad there, watching. Before he could do or say anything, Vader's grip changed. He let go of Virgil's arm, moving behind him now that everything was in place. Before he could so much as glance over his shoulder, a hand fisted in his hair, jerking his head back. Virgil couldn't stop the cry from escaping him, feeling a few stray tears leak out of the corner of his eyes. He couldn't even see the screen at this angle, could see nothing by the man's mask.

"_Let him go! Please!"_

Never before had Virgil heard his dad sound so afraid, and he found that just caused the tears to come faster, flowing silently down his cheeks. He couldn't even attempt to be brave and brush them away with his hands tied behind him.

"_Please! Whatever it is you want..."_ Jeff suddenly broke off, almost as if someone was telling him not to say anything else and he changed tack swiftly. "_Just let him go."_

"You want to know what I want?" Vader asked almost pleasantly, his hand twisting in Virgil's hair and causing a sob to escape the boy. "I want to be one of the richest men alive. I want to take everything you own and make you watch as I use your money to take over the world."

"_So it is money that you are after?"_

Virgil didn't need to see Oscar to know that the boy would have sat further upright at hearing his father's voice.

"Yes."

"_How much?" _There was something so controlled about Swinger's voice that Virgil found himself swallowing awkwardly, even at the angle he was being held at.

"Oh I don't think I'll tell you that just yet. I want to see how much you are prepared to give for your son's life first. I want him to know just how much his father values him," Vader responded, beginning to reach towards the camera. "Same time tomorrow then, gentlemen."

Knowing that the man was going to disconnect, that he wouldn't be able to see his father again until the cameras were set up the next day, Virgil twisted his head awkwardly, trying to ignore the tears flowing down his face.

"Daddy..." He couldn't say anything else before a cry escaped him as Vader wrenched him back. The man forced him flat out onto the floor once again, and Virgil knew that the camera would only be able to see Oscar now; it would be going straight over his head.

"_Virgil? Virgil, listen to me."_

Vader snarled as Jeff's voice continued to come through, moving behind the equipment in order to break the connection.

_"I'm coming for you, son, I promise."_

With a small noise, the sound was cut off and, craning his head up slightly, Virgil saw that the camera had gone dead. Vader made no attempt to dismantle it this time, but instead strode for the door, tense and angry. The bolt was drawn back, he exited and then slammed the door shut behind him, leaving both boys tied up. Virgil could only curl onto his side, the tears running down his face as he heard the lock being fastened once again.

"Please hurry," he whispered into thin air, wanting to believe that his dad would have heard him somehow. Little did he know that his father was being held back by two cops in order to stop him from putting his fist through the screen in anger, the promise he had made repeatedly falling from his lips as he tried to make sure that Virgil heard him, even though he knew that it was too late.


	19. Chapter 19

**Thank you so much once again!**

For a long moment, Virgil could only lie where he had fallen as he listened to the door being locked. Somehow, it all felt a lot more real now. There was a price on their well-being, the rules of the game were becoming clearer. But somewhere along the way, no one had asked whether he wanted to play or not. Realising he was shaking, Virgil gave a sniff, trying to stop the tears.

"You okay?" Judging by the way Oscar's voice came out, he was thinking the same thing as Virgil.

The young artist awkwardly craned his head around in order to get a look at the other boy, and wasn't surprised to see that Oscar was looking pale, his eyes wide and shocked. It wasn't that it hadn't felt real up until now – it had, it had been terrifying more than once – yet something felt like it had just changed. Their fathers were properly involved now rather than just their sons hoping they would come and find them. Virgil realised that it made him feel small and vulnerable – it had never been about him and Oscar, but always about the adults. They were just the bargaining chips, the tools to get this man whatever he wanted.

"Virgil?"

"M'fine," Virgil mumbled, knowing that Oscar wouldn't stop asking unless he said something. Wincing in pain as his wrist throbbed at him, he managed to force himself into a sitting position, even if he was panting by the time he made it upright. Attempting to catch his breath, Virgil didn't move for a moment or two, watching as Oscar struggled to untie his feet. At the back of his mind, Virgil knew that this had to be progress. When this had started, Oscar would have just sat there, tied up, and done nothing about it. Yet his urge to escape now seemed to rival Virgil's, he wasn't just going to sit there and do nothing.

"If you come over here, I can untie you."

"Why can't you come over here? You're free." Virgil didn't mean to snap, but he was exhausted and scared. Oscar didn't seem to have a problem with sleeping for hours at a time, not realising that every time he closed his eyes, Virgil had to fight down a bout of panic at having no one there to distract him from the silence.

"Maybe because I'm the one untying you?"

Oscar's retort made Virgil sigh, but he did start shuffling over on his knees, not wanting to stand up and overbalance. The other boy might have been getting more tolerant as the days passed, but Virgil still knew that they would never be able to call each other friend. He was still convinced that Oscar would make a run for it given the first chance, regardless of Virgil's promise to not leave him on his own if he were the one to get that opportunity.

By the time he reached the wall, however, Virgil practically fell against it, panting.

"You need to turn around."

"And you need to shut up." His eyes falling closed as he tried to catch his breath, Virgil slowly pulled his legs out from under him, one shoulder resting against the wall to support himself.

Oscar frowned, shuffling forward. "You don't look so good."

"Don't feel it..." Virgil muttered, and he was thankful when Oscar didn't say anything, but finally moved himself and went behind Virgil, fumbling with the rope but finally pulling it away from Virgil's wrists. Bringing them back in front of him, Virgil leant against the wall properly, rubbing the sore skin and resting his head back on the wall. It wasn't that he felt ill or anything like that, but only catching a few hours sleep every now and again was beginning to make itself known. Reaching blindly over to one side, Virgil grabbed the water bottle and took a swig, wondering if it would help the headache he had building. They were going to have to be careful - Vader hadn't left any supplies and their water was getting low again. Virgil knew he had not a chance of guessing when the man was next going to show up, so they would have to make it last. The lukewarm fluid barely helped his thirst, yet he couldn't bring himself to drink more.

"You need to sleep."

This time, Virgil couldn't bring himself to respond, knowing that Oscar was meaning well even if his tone made it sound like he was ordering rather than making a suggestion. He did shake his head though.

"Can't. Do you think... Do you reckon they have any idea who is behind this yet?" Virgil tiredly smiled his thanks as Oscar came to sit next to him again. Despite how he was feeling, he was never going to let himself truly wind up Oscar. After all, if he did, who would untie him? His fear of being left in the silence – remembering hours of being told to keep quiet in the hospital whilst waiting to hear how his mother was – meant that he would do almost anything to keep Oscar on his side, regardless of how he personally felt about the boy. Oscar hugged his knees up to his chest and glanced at Virgil out of the corner of his eye.

"Do you have any idea who it is?" he asked quietly, and Virgil found that his mind was beginning to race despite his exhaustion. If nothing else, it would give him something to do. But no one sprang to mind who would do something like this, who would risk going against his father and Swinger just to get some money. No one... Except...

"When you came to the beach on the day we were taken, who was the man with you?" Virgil was acutely aware of Oscar stiffening beside him, and when he looked over, the boy was staring stonily ahead.

"Howard," he answered, his voice as rigid as his posture.

"He seemed to really hate you... and he did make a threat about what would happen if you weren't there. Do you think...?"

"No."

"But this man is tall, just like him..."

"No."

"And he does..."

"No."

"How can you be sure?" Virgil eventually cried, not understanding how Oscar was just dismissing his theory without even giving it a chance. Oscar was the one who had come out with some of their more crazy escape plans, so Virgil knew he wasn't above thinking this through, but he was just flat out refusing to pay it any heed.

"Because he's too afraid of my father."

"See!" Virgil latched on to this with enthusiasm. Trying to figure it all out was giving him far more of an energy boost than a few hours sleep would have done. "Then he has a motive..."

"Stop it, Virgil, it's not him. It's not him because it won't be only him that loses out if he is involved with something like this, my father would make sure of it. And Howard knows this, he won't risk his family, no matter how much he might hate me."

Virgil had seen Oscar annoyed many times, but he realised this was the first time he had seen the other boy properly angry. Oscar jumped to his feet, pacing in front of Virgil.

"What happened?" Virgil eventually asked softly, knowing that this wasn't just a spontaneous reaction. Something had happened to make Oscar act like this, and Virgil couldn't help but notice the way that Oscar was refusing to meet his eyes. It was almost as if the anger was just a front, as if Oscar was... Virgil blinked. Oscar was ashamed.

"What did you do?" he pressed, knowing by the way that Oscar's hands tightened into fists that he was on the right wavelength. It was because of Oscar that this man was so afraid of Swinger. For a moment, Virgil didn't think that Oscar was going to answer as the boy continued to pace angrily in front of him, but eventually he flung himself back down onto the floor. Virgil silently handed him the water bottle as a peace gesture, and yet could only feel relieved when Oscar took nothing more than a small sip. A few days ago, he would have drained half the bottle without thinking about it.

"What happened, Oscar?" Virgil prompted softly. If it had been one of his brothers, he was sure that he would have made some kind of effort to reassure them that it wasn't their fault, but he knew it wouldn't work here. He had been on the receiving end of what Oscar could get up to so was more than aware that it probably _was_ the other boy's fault.

"It was early last year. He was so happy, his wife had just had a baby. He's part of my father's security, they have a house on our grounds."

Virgil blinked, but didn't say anything. Precisely how much land did Oscar have?

"I was being brought home by someone, and I insisted that they dropped me off at the gates rather than coming further up. The car wasn't one my father would approve of. I made Howard come out and meet me, to walk me across the grounds. It was dark... and I..." Oscar paused, almost as if he was steeling himself for what he was about to say. "I tripped him. As he fell, I ducked down a ditch and hid. He searched for hours, but I knew those grounds too well, I knew where to hide. Eventually, the whole security team had to come out and look. As soon as they did so, I reappeared, sat in a really obvious position and said that I had been there the whole time. Who was my father going to believe? A man distracted by the fact that he had a new baby at home, or his own son?"

Virgil frowned, but just about managed to bite his tongue. The look on Oscar's face was enough to tell him that the other boy was regretting it now.

"My father was furious. He threw the family out of their house, told them to find somewhere else to live. I know his wife ended up back with her parents with the baby whilst they found somewhere. He wanted to fire Howard as well, only one of the other security men stepped inand persuaded him otherwise. But that's not all..."

Virgil wasn't sure he wanted to hear the end. Oscar's prank had cost an employee nearly everything, especially considering he had a new baby as well. Virgil might have only been ten, but he was burning with the injustice of it all. Not just at Oscar for being an idiot, but at his father's reaction. Jeff had made it quite clear that he wanted everyone the boys met to be treated fairly, for that was how he ran his company. Considering they had been able to come on such a luxury holiday, Virgil knew his dad had to be good at what he did. That was only possible with the help of others, something else that had been driven into him from a very young age.

"My father insists that Howard now accompanies me everywhere. Not just at home... every business trip, everything. I'm home-schooled so he doesn't have to keep pulling me out every time he wants me to go somewhere. I have to go on each and every trip..." Oscar's hands were clenched on his knees, and Virgil realised that this wasn't shame, it was annoyance over the way his father dragged him around.

"So that means Howard has to come too. He's barely at home, barely gets to be with his family. Yet he can't get another job because Father has made it quite clear that he will make it almost impossible for him to do so if he leaves."

Oscar fell silent and Virgil shifted awkwardly. What was he supposed to say to that? He had no sympathy for the fact that Oscar was looking upset, and found that he was almost as angry at Oscar as Oscar was at his father. Through playing a trick, he had almost ruined a man's life.

"But wouldn't that mean he wanted money to set himself up a new life?"

Oscar shook his head. "He wouldn't risk his own son. He would know that my father would do something to get back at him - he's not going to let whoever did this walk away. He knows people who can do... stuff. Howard would know there is nowhere to run. He might hate me, but there is no way that he would do anything to risk it. Besides, we were supposed to be home by now. I know you were staying longer, but Howard was supposed to take me back after a couple of days. And now we're all stuck here. Surely he would want to get back to his wife for a few days without Father being around?"

Virgil shrugged, not knowing the man well enough to be able to offer an opinion either way. He didn't know what he was supposed to say to that. He could understand why Oscar believed that it wasn't the bodyguard, and if he was honest, Virgil knew he too believed it. He hadn't been the only witness to the way the man had addressed Oscar at the beach, even the lady in charge of the group would have seen something. Why make it that obvious only to then do something like this not even hours later?

"So who?" Virgil eventually whispered, realising that whilst Oscar might have ruled out a possible candidate, they were still no closer to figuring it out.

"I don't know. Why don't you get some sleep, you're no good to me like that."

Huffing slightly, Virgil realised that Oscar's words were no doubt a direct quote from his father - it sounded like something Swinger would say. But he pushed himself away from the wall and curled up all the same. He let his head rest on his good arm whilst keeping his sore wrist cradled into his body, trying to get comfortable on the hard floor.

"Here."

Glancing up, Virgil felt his jaw drop as Oscar offered out his jumper. The other boy looked more than self-conscious of his actions and as Virgil froze, a flush worked its way up his neck.

"Fi-" He started to speak, his tone back to the old irritating one that Virgil hated so much. The young Tracy pushed himself up and slowly took the offered jumper.

"Thank you," he said quietly, smiling at Oscar. The other boy simply rolled his eyes.

"Whatever," he muttered, turning away even as Virgil once again lay down, attempting to find a half-decent position. He ended up using Oscar's jumper as a pillow, both of his arms hugged across his middle. As he shut his eyes in an attempt to get some rest, Virgil was sure that he saw a small smile on Oscar's face even as the boy made a point of looking in the opposite directly. Virgil smiled himself as his eyes closed.

Maybe there was hope for Oscar yet?

TBTBTB

Jeff had never seen a team move so fast once the broadcast had ended. Nick was left holding onto his arm and steering him out of the room as Flinn strode ahead, already talking rapidly into his radio. They knew that the race was now on. They had exactly 24 hours until the next contact was established. They had a day to try and work out who was behind this. Who would have an ambition so great that they would risk going against Swinger? Jeff had heard of the man's reputation before he had even entered into negotiations with him, and knew he was not a person to cross. Whoever this was, was either stupid or, more worryingly, exceptionally clever.

Considering the only lead that they had seemed to be Swinger's bodyguard after some woman claimed that she had heard him threaten Virgil on the beach, that was where the team were striking out for. That, coupled with the fact that he would know how to use the cameras they had found in the room – Swinger had insisted his staff were the very best. Flinn had made a half-hearted suggestion that Jeff and Swinger stayed out of it, that they let the professionals handle it. But unfortunately, he had then left, leaving it to Nick to handle the two angry fathers. Jeff felt sorry for the man, he really did, but there was no way that a man only a few years older than Scott was going to tell him to sit out of something that could potentially lead him to his son.

Flinn had simply rolled his eyes when he had caught sight of Jeff hurrying towards them on the floor where the man had his room, but he hadn't tried to send him away. Swinger had followed as well, but he seemed more bored by the whole proceeding than anything else. One day, Jeff was adamant that he was going to figure out the man, but for now, he only listened in silence as Flinn sent Nick to go and get Cowlishaw and fill him on what had just happened. After firmly instructing the two fathers to not get involved any more than they already were or he would have them escorted back to their own rooms, Flinn had given the order to storm the room belonging to the bodyguard – Thomas Howard, as someone had sympathetically muttered in Jeff's ear after realising that the man didn't know the name. Not that it had got them very far, though.

The door had almost fallen open at the first ram, implying that it hadn't even been locked. Jeff could only watch, partly in interest, partly in fear of what they would find, as the group spilled into the room. Flinn was taking the fact that Howard was nowhere to be seen and the door was unlocked as something suspicious. The bodyguard seemed to have very few personal belongings, and as Jeff looked inside, he was sure he would work out Flinn's train of thought. It looked like the man had packed up and left. This time, Jeff allowed himself to be moved back out of the room as the team set to work, searching for anything that would give them a clue as to either his whereabouts or the missing boys'.

"Find him!"

"He won't have gone far. I don't allow employees to lock their doors in case I or my son need them."

Jeff had been in the process of following Flinn down the corridor, but knew it was only because he himself had stopped in shock that had stopped him crashing into the man. Flinn slowly turned, his eyes like ice.

"Is there anything else you would like to tell us before we turn this hotel upside down looking for a member of your staff and start questioning him about the kidnap and attempted ransom of not only your own son, but Mr Tracy's as well?"

Swinger glared in outrage at the way the man was talking to him, but Flinn had clearly had enough.

"Rogers, escort Mr Swinger back to the base room. Young Nick is there with the journalist; maybe Cowlishaw can start writing up Mr Swinger's side of events whilst I carry out my investigation."

As Swinger was marched away, his loud and strong protests falling on deaf ears, Jeff couldn't stop the small smile from lighting up his face. Flinn caught the look as he turned back around and groaned out loud.

"Please tell me you are going to behave?"

"Scouts honour, Sir," Jeff responded with a grin. "How long have you wanted to do that for?"

"Not as long as you, I must admit. Only since he showed no concern at seeing his son tied up with whoever that jerk is. Come on, let's find Howard." Leaving the team scouring Howard's room, Flinn jerked his head and Jeff fell into step with him. He had initially been worried that Flinn was too cold for this operation, his concern for the boys seeming to be overshadowed by his desire to catch whoever it was behind this. But now, Jeff found that he had changed his mind. Quite when it had happened, he wasn't sure, but right now, he wasn't sure if there was anyone he trusted more to get his son back to him.

They moved mainly in silence, peering down each corridor briefly before moving on. They were going for a wide sweep before going for a more thorough search in order to find the man, but whilst his frustration grew and grew as nothing was revealed, Jeff knew better than to say anything. He had to trust that the officer knew what he was doing, and the last thing he wanted was to be sent away the way Swinger had been. The third floor had been checked, and Jeff casually glanced up the stairwell as they moved back onto the stairs.

"There!" he yelled, setting off at a sprint, barely aware of Flinn on his heels. He was sure that he had spotted the man, but that wasn't what had his heart pounding as he ran. He was more than certain that he hadn't been alone, and Jeff knew that blond hair anywhere - he had hugged John to sleep only a few nights ago.

"Sir, wait!"

The words fell on deaf ears as Jeff took the stairs two at a time, and within seconds, was skidding into the hallway. For a split second, his breath caught in his throat. He had found Howard alright, only his hand was firmly around John's arm, holding his son in a firm grip. But that wasn't all, Scott was there too, his face a picture of concern and just a flash of fear as he held John's other arm.

"Let my son go!" Jeff practically roared, closing the distance between them within seconds.

"Jeff, stop!"

Flinn's shout did nothing as Jeff grabbed Howard by the front of his shirt, bodily pulling him away from John and shoving him firmly into the wall. He was hardly aware of holding the man by his collar, or the fact that he was drawing back his fist.

"Dad, no! Stop!" Suddenly, Scott was hanging onto his arm, pulling his father away. Jeff blinked, wondering when his fifteen-year-old had suddenly become so strong.

"Get your brother out of here!"

"No, listen to me! Thomas hasn't done anything! It's not him!"

Jeff blinked, loosening his grip and turning to face Scott, astonishment in his expression. There was an understanding in his face that implied he knew precisely why his father had appeared out of nowhere. Sensing that he was at least getting his father's attention, Scott pulled on his arm again.

"It's not him, Dad," he said quietly, his eyes imploring his father to believe him. The tension left Jeff's arm and he backed away slightly, knowing that now Flinn had caught up with them, Howard was not going anywhere.

"But... John..."

"Johnny slipped," Scott responded, sending his brother a glance that was a mixture of amusement, fondness and exasperation. "He would have smacked his head on the wall if Thomas hadn't been there. I know what you are thinking, Dad. I thought it was him too..."

"So you decided to confront him on your own, with nothing but your little brother for back-up?"

Scott flushed at that one, and Jeff knew he had got it in one. John stepped forward, looking as if he was about to protest, but kept quiet at the look Scott shot him. Jeff had to hand it to his son, he certainly knew how to control his brothers.

"It's not him, Dad, believe me."

Jeff sighed, but then softly nodded, taking another step away from Howard.

"How can you be sure? How do you know that he wasn't lying to you? You're a smart boy; I assume you know for sure that your brother has been kidnapped?" Jeff let his hand rest on John's shoulder, pulling the younger boy closer as Scott lifted his chin, nodding at Flinn's question.

"Then surely your brother would know not to go with strangers? What if Howard here fed him some lie to get him to move?" Howard's face clouded over, but Scott just shrugged.

"I don't know how they got Virg, but I do know you are looking in the wrong place. And I can prove it."

"How?" Jeff knew he was mirroring Flinn's expression as his eyes moved between Scott and Howard, flickering to John before looking to the pair of them again. Scott looked at his feet for a long moment before finally facing his father.

"I listened in when you got that first disk."

"Scott! There was a..."

"A reason you didn't want me to stay, yes I get that, Dad. But my little brother was missing, I wasn't just going to sit there. But that's not the point. I listened in, I heard what they said. It was three o'clock you were supposed to hear from them, wasn't it?"

"And we did."

Scott shrugged, smiling slightly then. "Case solved. We've been with Thomas all afternoon, and the things he told us... Doesn't an employee have certain rights, a certain amount of protection?"

"Well... what?"

"I'm still sure what Swinger did was illegal," Scott muttered, looking distracted. Flinn seemed to almost latch onto this with interest, and the thunderous look on Howard's face showed that whatever it was he had told the boys, it was something that affected him deeply. But then the fifteen-year-old blinked, looking back at his father.

"If you want to go ahead and question him, go ahead. But please, for Virgil's sake, believe me, Dad. He's not the guy behind this, so if you question him, you are wasting time looking in all the wrong places."

Jeff sighed, keeping one hand on John's shoulder and letting the other rest on Scott's.

"Flinn?"

"It seems Thomas Howard here has just been given an alibi. If both... what were your names again, Scott and John? If they both tell me the same story, separately, then that is good enough for me."

"Right now?" Scott asked, a hint of a challenge in his voice. Jeff recognised the tone and realised that Scott was more than sure about what he was saying. Flinn smiled sympathetically.

"Later. I believe you, kid. And if you, Mr Howard, would like to lodge a formal complaint against your employer, then we have a lot of police roaming about for you to speak to. I still need to talk to you though, Sir. Swinger hasn't been very helpful about what he knows of Oscar's movements..."

Still talking, Flinn gestured for Howard to come with him. But before he disappeared down the stairs, he turned and gave Jeff a steady look.

"Don't do anything stupid," he warned.

Jeff opened his mouth.

"It's okay, Sir, we'll keep him out of trouble."

Flinn chuckled and winked, disappearing even as Jeff gave John a light cuff over the head. Scott grinned at his brother's words, but it vanished almost instantly as he turned to face his father.

"You said that you had received another message?" Jeff slowly nodded, knowing what Scott was going to ask. "Virg?"

"He's doing okay. He's hanging on in there." Jeff wasn't going to tell Scott about his brother's pleading voice, clearly wanting Jeff to come and make everything all better again. Nor was he about to mention the way his brother had been held, or the fact that his hands had been tied. Scott had enough to deal with right now. Steering John down the corridor, Jeff knew that his eldest son would be following.

"One thing though."

"What?" Scott sounded suspicious, and Jeff couldn't help but feel inwardly pleased that his son knew what that tone of voice meant.

"I thought I told you to stay with Jack, to look out for your brothers and not get into trouble? So instead you drag John on a wild goose chase after a man who you thought was a potential kidnapper. Scott?"

"Um..."

Jeff just rolled his eyes at the boy's less than helpful answer. He should have known that his two oldest wouldn't just sit there and do nothing when they thought they could be helping.

"Oh, and your grandmother should arrive in the morning."

"There goes our investigation then," John muttered, his older brother echoing the same thought from just behind him. Privately, Jeff agreed, and was more than relieved at the fact he could at least trust her to keep the remaining boys in the same place for a while. If he was honest, he wasn't sure that even he could do that, not considering Scott's determination and John's knack for twisting things around until he got what he wanted.

Right now, Jeff couldn't help but feel the morning couldn't come quick enough.


	20. Chapter 20

**Thank you so much for the wonderful support once again. Apologies for not being as good as responding to reviews this last week, it's been hectic!**

"Mrs Tracy! Mrs Tracy! Over here, Ma'am."

The young voice was calling to her almost before Grandma stepped through into the main part of the airport. Jeff had managed to get her on the next flight out to join the rest of her family, yet it hadn't been quick enough for the old lady. The wait between finding out that Virgil had been kidnapped to knowing how long it was going to take for her to be with her family had felt like forever. The need to be with her boys was such an overwhelming feeling; it was like she couldn't put into words what was going through her head. She simply had to be there, she had to be involved with finding Virgil if it was the last thing she did. She had promised Lucy that she would look out for all of the boys, and every second Virgil was missing was another second that she had failed that promise. But not only that - Jeff needed her, the boys needed her... Needed her in a way she had hoped they never would again after their mother's death. Yet here they were, only a year later, to find someone else was trying to tear their family apart. When she got hold of whoever was behind this...

"Ma'am?"

Blinking herself out of her musings, Grandma automatically hitched something that could resemble a smile onto her face as a young man approached her. One of the flight attendants had told her they had received a message that one of the police force would be waiting to escort her to the hotel. Grandma had expected some middle-aged man with his hand permanently on his gun, looking left, right and centre as if something was going to happen to her. She had been less than happy about it, not wanting things to be so official when all she needed was to get to her boys. Yet seeing a plain-clothed young man almost nervously whip out his badge as she turned to face him, Grandma found herself relaxing as best as she could given the situation. This wouldn't be so much of an escort as a lift to the hotel.

"Shall we go, dear?" Only glancing at his badge to confirm who he was, Grandma thrust her bag at him and led the way outside, looking in control despite the fact that she had no idea where she was going. The man spluttered something that she didn't quite catch and ran to catch up, leading the way to a nearby car whilst trying to maintain control over the situation.

"If you would, Mrs Tracy?" He opened the door for her, making Grandma smile as she slid into the car. At least this young man had manners, for she was sure there would be words to be had if they had sent some officer who didn't know how to respect someone he was supposed to be escorting.

"Thank you, Mr Jennings."

The man stopped, blinking in surprise.

"It was on your badge, dear." Stretching out a hand, she took the door herself and shut it, knowing that Nick would have just stood there in surprise without moving for a few moments. He eventually seemed to snap himself back into action, storing her belongings in the car and sliding into the driver's seat. Despite the fact that her need to be with the family was more than obvious, Grandma was glad that he didn't try and get her there faster than was strictly safe.

"Now, tell me, Mr Jennings..."

"Nick, Ma'am, please."

"Very well. Tell me, Nick, how are my boys? Has Jeff had more than just coffee?"

"Um, I don't..."

"Don't mumble, man."

"I don't know, Ma'am." Nick found the courage to speak up even as he carefully teased more speed out of the car. Grandma settled back. Part of her wanted to make the car go as fast as possible, to get her to the rest of her family so she could finally do something to stop the thoughts that were tormenting her. Gordon and Alan would still need her, even if she wasn't allowed to do anything for Virgil. Not that that was going to stop her from trying, though. A worried grandmother was not someone that people wanted to cross. But for now, she just watched the surroundings flash past them.

She knew that it was a business associate of Jeff's who was helping to fund the whole family coming here on their summer vacation, but as Nick pulled the car up a long and sloping drive, revealing the luxury hotel, she had to admit that she was surprised. Normally, she wouldn't have been happy that so much money was being spent on something, but she knew how much the boys needed this trip. It just showed her how much her son's life had changed in the last year. Whether it was for the better or not still remained to be seen. That purely depended on whether Jeff was acknowledging his role as a father again. If not, then it would all be for nothing.

Nick helped her from the car, handing her bags to a porter with a meaningful look. The man nodded and hurried away, nothing being said about where the bags were being taken. Grandma gave him a long look and Nick shrugged.

"It's to be kept quiet where the rest of the Tracys are currently as a matter of precaution. I was just assuming that you would want to be with them, and that man is one of the few knowing where the rooms are. Now, Ma'am, would you rather see your son or grandsons first?"

"They're not together?" Grandma had to admit, she was warming to the young man. Whilst it seemed that he had a slight case of nerves, something she could only presume was to do with his youth and how big this case potentially was, he seemed to have a good head on his shoulders and was thinking about what she would want without asking her pointless questions first. She couldn't help but frown when he shook his head.

"My superior is with Mr Tracy, the boys are in the rooms."

"I see. Take me to my grandsons, Nick." Grandma knew without being told that it must have been a day or so since Jeff had seen the boys. There was just something in the way Nick had delivered the line, as if he knew that Jeff didn't want to be with Flinn. Having raised one son and helped raise five grandsons, Grandma thought she was quite a hand at reading between the lines. Nick's almost inaudible sigh of relief showed that he had the answer he had been hoping for and he quickly led the way up the stairs. Grandma was impressed by how thorough he was clearly trying to be about keeping their location quiet, and she was just glad that someone was looking out for the boys. The young man seemed to have been given a master key for the rooms, for he didn't knock, but instead just let her in.

"I'll be downstairs when you need me, Ma'am." He gave a soft bow of his head and walked away. Grandma, however found that she barely even noticed.

"Grandma?" Gordon almost sounded like he didn't believe that she was really there, and the lady found herself doubting whether the boys even knew that she was coming. His disbelief didn't last very long, however, and he quickly threw himself at her. Bending down, Grandma for once said nothing and just drew him into a long hug. When she finally pulled away again, she held Gordon at arm's length and let her eyes run over the young boy critically. He didn't look good. Huge black circles shadowed his eyes, which seemed to have a far more reserved look about them than she was used to seeing in her second-youngest grandson. He looked like he had been cooped up for too long, and knowing how energetic the boy was, Grandma was inwardly groaning whilst already planning how to get them out and about. Letting Gordon move away from her, she looked up into the rest of the room.

"Who are you?" She might not tolerate rudeness from any of her boys, but there was a sharp note to her tongue as her eyes fell on a young man she didn't recognise. He only looked to be around 20 years of age, slightly younger than Nick appeared to be, but a few years older than Scott. The way he was standing, awkward and unsure, she had a feeling he had been with Gordon before the child had pulled away.

"The name is Jack, Ma'am."

"It's alright, Grandma, he's been helping look after Gords and Alan." It was Scott's quiet voice that reassured her more than anything and Grandma smiled her gratitude at Jack. If Scott could trust him, then she was sure that all was fine. Not to mention it couldn't have been any easy task looking after four boys, two of whom would have been adamant they didn't need a babysitter, the other two coping with a mixture of being bored and knowing there was danger lurking around.

"I'm sure they must have been a handful. If you wanted to take a break, get some fresh air and space, I'm here now."

It wasn't a suggestion, and Jack knew it. He clapped Scott on the shoulder, ruffled Gordon's hair and moved for the door.

"Scott has my number. When you need another pair of hands, just give me a shout." With that, he was gone, the door shutting behind him. Grandma turned her back to it and found that her hands were on her hips as she took in the sight in front of her. The room was a mess, another sign that the boys had been in there for a while. Scott was sitting on one bed, Alan on his lap and clinging on tightly. Judging by the redness to his eyes, the youngest Tracy had been crying.

"Where's John?"

"Right here, Grandma." Said grandson suddenly appeared from behind her, coming out of a room she could only assume was a bathroom. The blond quickly gave her a hug, pulling away after only a few seconds, but clearly needing the comfort from the embrace. Following him through to the wider part of the room, Grandma sat down, pulling Alan off Scott and holding him on her own lap. For a moment, the five-year-old whined, a sign he was obviously tired, but then snuggled in quite happily on realising who it was that had him.

"How are you, boys?" Whilst she was asking them all, her question was more specifically directed at Scott and John, knowing the younger two wouldn't be affected in quite the same way. Gordon had climbed up onto the opposite bed where John had sat down, leaning heavily against his brother's side. Alan was clearly not the only one who was tired, and it was then she saw the wrappers strewn across the floor. No doubt Jack had been just keeping them happy rather than thinking about what was best for the boys. Providing them with sugar would have been a sure way of keeping the smile on Gordon's face for another hour or so. Before Scott could answer, she beckoned Gordon over.

"I want every wrapper picked up," she said firmly, sliding Alan off her lap in order to get him to help. She expected the boys to kick up a fuss, but Gordon was clearly bored for he immediately set to work. Taking Scott's hand softly, she looked between her two eldest grandsons. "Boys?"

"There is still no lead," Scott muttered, his voice losing the confidence it had held earlier when he had defended Jack. Now he just sounded like a lost little boy. "They thought they might have got something, but it was a false lead." Scott glanced towards John as he spoke, and their grandmother got the feeling they had been involved more than his words indicated.

"Did Dad say...?"

"Flinn wouldn't let me see him." Whatever Scott's question was going to be, John had clearly been anticipating it. Grandma, however, frowned.

"Why were you talking to the police, John?"

"We both have been." She shouldn't have been surprised when Scott answered for his brother. "That lead? We were the reason why it was a dead end, we were with the guy they thought it might be. They wanted to hear what had happened from both of us, separately. Don't know why..."

"To make sure our stories matched up. If we weren't saying the same thing down to the little details, we might have been saying it under duress, meaning he could have still potentially been involved."

"Right, that then..." Scott might have been able to hide his eye roll from John, but his grandmother saw it. For once, she let it go, glad that John was still thinking things through in only the way that he could.

"Have you seen your father, boys?" Grandma was sure there was something that wasn't being said. Nick's comment about the fact that they were separated, Scott asking John if he had spoken to his father... She had a horrible feeling that Jeff hadn't been given the chance to be with his sons.

"John and I have, only because he was looking for the person we were with. The kids haven't, he hasn't been back."

"So he hasn't slept?"

"Not sure if any of us have. Gordon was hyped up on sugar for most of last night. Both he and Alan just refused to go to sleep, didn't matter what we tried. Alan wouldn't eat half of his dinner, although whether that was because he had just eaten too much candy, I have no idea. Kicked up a right fuss when we put him to bed as well."

"John, will you oversee your younger brothers, please?"

It was a sign of how well John knew Scott that he went without saying a word. The distress in Scott's voice was more than obvious, despite how much he was clearly attempting to hold it together. Grandma's hand let go of Scott's and gently brushed his hair back from his eyes before taking hold of his chin, forcing the teenager to look at her.

"Talk to me, Scotty. What's going on in that head of yours?" For a moment, Grandma thought that Scott wasn't going to answer her, and the grip she had on his chin tightened almost warningly. She was not going to let him get away with bottling things up, especially if Jeff wasn't around to see it. Eventually, Scott pushed her hand away and offered her half a shrug.

"Honestly, Grandma? I'm not sure that I know. I thought if I could look out for the others, it would stop me thinking so much. But I keep going to check that Virgil isn't sulking, or hasn't got his paints out, or something completely stupid." Scott's voice was growing angry, a sign that he was close to tears as his hands scrunched into tight fists. John paused, looking back over with a worried expression on his face, but his grandmother simply shook her head at him. She had this one.

"That's not stupid, Scott."

"I'm supposed to be there for the others. John's holding it together better than I am."

"I highly doubt that." Grandma could see that it wasn't only Scott John kept glancing at. He didn't seem to be able to keep his eyes off the younger two either, and Grandma knew it was him checking on them in a paranoid manner, making sure they didn't just disappear on him as well. It was clear John was not coping, and she would be talking to him next.

"I can't just sit here though," Scott protested, blowing out a long breath and seeming to sag.

"I thought you said you had been talking to the police?"

Scott huffed, shaking his head slightly. "I was an idiot. I thought that I had it all worked out, that I would be able to find Virgil and it would all be okay. So what do I do? I attempt to go after the guy I thought was behind it on my own. When John decided to tag along, I didn't send him away. I could have been walking straight into trouble, and I would have taken John with me. What kind of help is that? I try and help one brother and could have lost another one on the way."

"Scott, look at me." Waiting until he had complied with her instructions, she smiled softly and reassuringly, but made sure that her expression still held a hint of firmness. She had already had this conversation once – Scott's tone was the exact mirror of his father's when Jeff had called to say what was going on. Despite her mind almost going into shut-down at hearing that one of the boys was in danger, Grandma had still been able to pick up the hopelessness in her son's voice, knew that Jeff hated the fact that he couldn't do anything more than whatever the police told him. It was the exact same tone in Scott's voice now, and she wasn't having it.

"You thought you were doing what was right at the time. Your instincts wouldn't have let you lead John into danger. Some part of knew was aware that it was safe and that John needed something to do as much as you did. No one expects you to sit here and do nothing when your brother is missing..."

"The cops do. They're expecting the same of Dad as well, only they're keeping him in the conference room in case they get anything."

"Keeping him there?"

Scott grinned ruefully even as Grandma frowned in confusion.

"When I was down there, I overheard Dad arguing with one of the officers. He wanted to be up here, with us. They told him no."

Whilst Grandma was by no means happy that Jeff was being kept away, at least if Scott had heard him arguing, it would mean that his sons would have been aware that it was through no fault of his own this time. Scott seemed to read something in her face and smirked humourlessly.

"You know the really stupid thing about all of this? They were just getting somewhere as well. They could finally be in the same room without snapping at each other. I thought we would have been alright, that everything was going to be fine..."

"Everything will be fine, Scotty. Don't let me hear you say otherwise. Now go on, help your brothers clean up." As Scot slithered off the bed, Grandma was inwardly taking a few deep breaths. None of this was helping with the worry about Virgil. Every problem she had to fix with the other boys meant it would be longer until she could do something to help her middle grandson. But she was fully aware that if she didn't spend this time sorting out the boys first, they might very well get Virgil back only to lose one of the others. In her mind, there was no doubt about it. They were _going_ to get Virgil back. If nothing else, she had just promised Scott that they would. A grandmother would never go back on her promise, not when she had just spent the best part of a year trying to patch the family back up.

"John, can I have a word?" Grandma ushered John over to one side as the blond came over, wanting to give the boy some privacy. Scott seemed to realise what was going on and grabbed Gordon as the redhead made to run after his big brother. Whirling him around, he placed him back on the floor the other side of him, forcing himself to at least fake a smile as Gordon gaped at him in astonishment.

"I wanna go!"

Scott knew he should have known that was coming as an insistent five-year-old began tugging on his arm, demanding attention. Figuring that it kept the focus away from where John was clearly getting upset, Scott obliged. In a way, it helped. He knew that he couldn't do anything to help find Virgil, not considering the police had seemed less than happy about his adventures before, but he could occupy his other brothers. And if that meant distracting the youngest two whilst John had a breakdown, then that was fine by him.

"Come on, boys, we are going to find your father."

Placing Alan on the floor at his grandmother's voice, Scott frowned as his eyes searched John's. The thirteen-year-old avoided eye contact, his weight shifting slightly as if he was almost squirming under Scott's gaze. Glancing towards his grandmother instead, Scott simply watched as she gave John a kiss on the cheek and then held out her hand to Alan. The youngest immediately grabbed on, causing Gordon to go running over and grabbing hold of the other. Leading the way to the door, Grandma smiled her thanks as John opened it for her.

"Are you coming, Scott, dear?"

Scott grinned, immediately hurrying after them.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am, the children should stay where it is safe..." It was the same security guard that both Scott and John had managed to sneak past, and Scott knew full well he had been told not to let it happen again.

"I can assure you, I am quite safe. Now stand aside."

"But..."

"Listen, my good man, I'm sure you are just doing your job and a splendid one you are doing at that, letting two teenagers get the better of you. Trust me when I say that you really want to step aside, right this moment. I can promise that they will all be back for bedtime." Unaware that Scott and John were trading grins behind her back and Alan was gaping up at her as if only just realising she was there Grandma simply glared at the man who was currently stopping her getting her grandsons to their father. The man almost seemed to crumble under her glare, and within seconds, the five of them were moving on.

"Grandma, that was awesome!"

"Thank you, Scott. Please keep your voice to a respectable level and don't shout." Completely unperturbed by the whole event, Grandma simply swept the boys along. She wanted to see Jeff as much as they did, wanted to know how her son was holding up and whether there had been any news. But she knew that she couldn't let the boys know just how desperately worried she was, not when she had just spent the last ten minutes reassuring the older two that all was going to be fine.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am, you can't go through there."

Grandma had caught a glimpse of the conference rooms when Nick had led her in, and piecing together all that the boys had told her, that was where she was sure Jeff would be. Ignoring the man who had addressed her, Grandma turned to face the room. Half of the wall was glass, allowing her to see straight through. Sitting slumped at one end of the table, head in his hands and looking thoroughly dejected was...

"Daddy!"

Alan had squirmed out of her hold almost instantly, and Grandma let him go. Scott moved subtly enough to help his little brother with the door, but the look on Jeff's face as he heard his youngest son running towards him made it all worth it.

"I'm sorry, Sir, it appears we are going through there whether you like it or not. Gordon, through you go." As the seven-year-old ran after his brother – who by this point had already climbed up onto Jeff's lap – Grandma motioned for John to go through as well.

"You did that on purpose. You knew Allie wouldn't be able to stay still once he had seen Dad."

"The police really should learn not to keep a family apart in situations like this. Go on, Scott, go to your father." Scott might not have run the way Alan had, but she could see that it was taking a visible effort for the fifteen-year-old to walk calmly up to his father. Grandma made to step in after them when a voice called her back.

"I would appreciate it if you stopped overruling my officers, Mrs Tracy."

She turned to see a middle-aged man standing in front of her, his eyes bright and inquisitive. At her glance, he offered out his hand. "The name is Flinn."

"Oh yes, I've been hearing about you. How you wouldn't let four traumatised children near their father." Her voice was cool and calm as she turned to survey the scene in front of her. Flinn had no choice but to take a step closer in order to continue talking.

"I don't know what..."

"You know full well what I mean. Why has Jeff been kept down here?"

"We might get contact at any point, or even a lead. I thought you would understand how much he wants to be part of this."

"Oh I know that very well." Grandma had a stern look on her face as she turned to face the officer. "He will get in the way, interrupt everything you try to do and generally make a nuisance of himself." Judging by the way Flinn's face had softened and the corners of his lips turned up ever so slightly, she knew that had already started.

"So rather than letting him go and rest, and be with his sons, you've kept him down here. He's like a caged animal, Officer; you are simply getting him angry. And when he snaps, you'll be the one to feel the brunt of that anger, especially if his son isn't back in his arms by then."

"There is a room set aside. We tried to get him to have some rest."

"Sleep is the last thing that Jeff will do. But if he had been allowed upstairs, he certainly would have had to relax. Keeping him down here, he has no role. He has to let you do your job, he knows that. He is just waiting on the edge of his seat to find out whether there has been any news of his son. But if you had let him come upstairs, he could have taken on a role - he would have been able to be a father. Look at him, Officer Flinn. And tell me truthfully, is this not the most relaxed you have seen him since you were assigned to this case?"

Grandma motioned for Flinn to look through the glass, and the man didn't seem to dare do otherwise. Alan had settled, his head resting on his father's shoulder and his thumb in his mouth, already struggling to keep his eyes open. Gordon was on the floor next to Jeff's chair, his head leaning against his father's leg with Jeff's hand stroking his hair soothingly. Scott was sitting opposite, John perched on the edge of the table, his legs swinging freely. Looking at them, Grandma felt her own breath catch. This was the most relaxed she had seen Jeff with his boys for a long time, and it only made the tears well up in her eyes that there was such an important part of this picture missing.

"We'll get him back, Ma'am, you have my word."

Grandma glanced across to Flinn, finding that the man was watching her with a sympathetic look on his face. She might have been able to hide how she was feeling from her grandsons, but it was getting harder and harder to pretend that everything was okay. Jeff took that moment to glance up, meeting her eyes through the glass. The saddest smile she had ever seen was sent her way as he tried to thank her for getting the boys down to him, but his eyes looked somewhat haunted. Her work might have been done with the children, but her work with her own son had only just begun.

And maybe, it would help to drive away the demons that were beginning to take up residence in her own head.

"See that you do, Officer."

Flinn knew a dismissal when he heard one, only it didn't normally come from old ladies. Grandma swept past him and entered the room, seeming to make it over to the rest of the family in a blink of an eye. She kissed Jeff's cheek and smiled as Scott slipped off his seat and sat on the floor, offering it to her.

The scene in front of him made Flinn pause for a few moments, thinking of the way Swinger was acting in comparison to Jeff. Swinger might have been driving the officer mad, but the family in front of him was one that he was determined to put back together, no matter what the cost.


	21. Chapter 21

**Thank you so much once again, sorry that this is a day late.**

With Grandma around, it didn't take long at all before things were falling into order. No one knew quite what she had said to Flinn, but the man couldn't throw Jeff out of the room he had been stuck in since this whole thing started quickly enough. Whatever words Grandma had uttered in his ear had made the man almost pale. Scott and John had found themselves sharing a small smirk at the time, despite the fact that their hearts weren't in it. If anyone could sort things out, it would be their grandmother. The family were escorted through to the restaurant, but rather than sitting in the main part, they were taken off to one side where they could have some privacy. Even Grandma couldn't get the policeman accompanying them to leave the family in peace, but as he stood far enough back and was obviously good at his job considering the way he blended into the wall, they found that they could still talk with relative ease.

The boys had been somewhat shocked by the amount of food that had then been delivered to the table, but their grandmother's stern look made it apparent that they weren't moving until it had all been eaten. Even when Alan slid from his chair, climbed up on Jeff's lap and fell asleep, the rest of them carried on. The old lady had a feeling that although they said they had eaten, with no father to make sure they ate enough, the boys had just been picking, filling themselves up on sugar and then not wanting to eat properly when the time came for it. Gordon and Alan would have leapt at the chance to get away with that behaviour and the elder two would have been too preoccupied to either stop them or eat correctly themselves. As for their father, she knew Jeff well enough to know that he would have barely even touched food since this whole thing had begun. She was not going to let them make themselves ill with their worry.

When it became apparent that even John (who could put away a surprising amount of food, often beating Scott) couldn't manage any more, she finally gave in and allowed them to all be escorted back to the rooms. Alan thankfully remained asleep and Scott had been forced to give Gordon a lift on his back to be able to get the little boy up the stairs. Jeff had taken one step back towards the conference room, but a firm hand on his arm stopped him going any further. Now that they had been fed, Grandma was adamant that they were going to get a decent amount of sleep as well. They were no good to Virgil if they couldn't function properly simply because of not taking care of themselves. Not to mention that whilst she had those five to fuss over, it stopped her thinking too much about the fact that there should be a sixth there, whinging that he wasn't the slightest bit tired so why did he have to go to bed at same time as the younger ones? In fact, there was no whining from any of them. Even Scott crashed down on the bed and was practically asleep before his head hit the pillow. His father and grandmother were there to take care of things; it was no longer up to him to look after the others.

The lack of protests was something that truly made the old lady realise just how wrong things were. Even Jeff – who she had honestly expected to try and make a run for it – fell asleep quickly. If she was honest, the old lady wasn't sure she had ever seen that happen before - one of them was always kicking up some sort of fuss. Grandma had only been able to sigh, realising just how quickly the boys could fall apart if they weren't made to look after themselves. The frown never left Jeff's face, and whilst his eyes might have been closed, she knew that it was far from a restful sleep that her son was finding himself in. Sure enough, he only managed a few hours and whilst Grandma might have sent any of the children back to bed, she knew that she couldn't do that with Jeff. It was lucky he had got any rest, sheer exhaustion having obviously caught up with him. Instead, the adults had spent the rest of the night talking until Grandma had taken her own advice and got some rest. The last thing she had seen before she had fallen asleep was Jeff sitting between the beds, watching his sons closely.

Once they had all been able to think straight again, Grandma found herself taking charge. She couldn't help the fact that Jeff did genuinely need to be in the conference room the majority of the time. The security teams were working with the police and making another thorough search of the area, slowly beginning to expand it as they realised that they were getting no closer to finding the missing children.

More to keep them out of trouble than anything else, Grandma had managed to get them to take Scott and John on their searches. She had heard what had happened with Swinger's bodyguard, and was torn between a mixture of anger and pride that the boys had tried to help by potentially putting themselves in danger. At least this way, they were truly doing something to help, yet someone had their eye on them at all times. She knew that Jack had gone out with them most of the time, and was just glad that he was someone Scott considered to be a friend rather than a babysitter. She had taken Gordon and Alan, trying to distract them by taking them down to the pool and generally keeping their minds busy. It worked on Alan, but Gordon was often uncooperative and uncharacteristically silent.

It hadn't helped that an almost unnatural hush fell over the pool as soon as they had arrived. Grandma had noticed it more and more over the last few days. Parents were seen to be clutching their children to them fearfully as they made their way around the buildings, ignoring the protests they were getting for their efforts. When anyone came near any of the Tracys, they seemed to give them a look that was a mixture between empathy and suspicion that they were mixed up in something like this in the first place, despite it being no fault of their own. No wonder Gordon couldn't enjoy himself, all eyes were on them and yet no one was prepared to say anything.

For four days the pattern continued. Jeff would return to them for dinner and Grandma knew she wasn't the only one seeing that he was looking more and more haunted with each day that passed. The boys were picking up on it, and the same lost look she had seen after their mother's death was beginning to make itself present again. Scott wasn't sleeping and John was often moodily picking at his food regardless of the scolding coming from his grandmother. Still there had been absolutely no sign of Virgil.

Cowlishaw's story was still being published on nearly every edition of the papers. The reaction had been almost scary, members of the public coming by the hotel to try and help (and resulting in security having to be even tighter and the well-wishers turned away), and several other press companies had been trying to get in one the scene. She personally had no liking for the man and had made that quite clear when he attempted to approach her. He had pretended that he wanted some information about the case, but when his questions became far more personal than that, Grandma had grown a little suspicious. He seemed to want to know all about her family rather than anything that would actually help them find Virgil, and she hadn't liked it. Despite the fact she had no knowledge of what had already passed between him and the rest of the family, Grandma had refused to answer any other questions. Then Scott had turned up and she had been forced to sharply remind him that he was in public and she wouldn't accept behaviour like that, only just stopping the teenager going for the man. After that, she had managed to get the full story out of her grandson, and was just thankful that she hadn't known it beforehand. After all, it wasn't only the boys who were fiercely protective of each other, and the elderly lady wasn't sure she would have been able to stay quite so civil whilst talking to the reporter if she had known how much he had terrified John. But regardless of their personal feelings for the man, his story had sparked off an interest and the search teams had almost doubled in size as local people tried to get involved. They all knew that it was because of the names of the families involved and the reputations the fathers had – both Tracy and Swinger – but who were they to argue? The more people looking meant the more chance someone would find something.

An unnatural hush seemed to have fallen over the family and they could do nothing but wait each day and hope that something was found. Jeff didn't tell them how Virgil was doing in the messages that he received at exactly the same time each day, and his mother knew that was because he couldn't voice it. To say it out loud was admitting that these things were really happening, that Virgil was truly in danger and it was getting worse each day.

All she could do was try to make sure that her family didn't completely and utterly fall apart. That, and pray that her middle grandson knew how much they were fighting to get him back.

TBTBTB

Virgil sat slumped on the floor, leaning back against the wall in absolute exhaustion. The hours were disappearing into days, and yet they had no way to keep track of how long they had been here for. The only marker that they had to let them know that another day had passed was the fact that they were aware that the messages they broadcast to their fathers – or rather, their _kidnapper _did - were sent at the same time each day. Four more messages had gone out since the original one, and Virgil was beginning to give up. If no onehad found them by now, then how on earth were they ever going to be able to? He had seen the look on his father's face, he could see how haunted the usually strong man was. It told him enough, though – they still had no idea where he was.

Ignoring his growling stomach, Virgil just picked idly at the edge of his tee-shirt, beginning to tease a thread loose. They were given three bottles of water and four sandwiches between the two of them each day, but for growing boys, it simply wasn't enough. Considering the only time they were outside of the room was when they were forcibly escorted to the bathroom and then back again, Virgil found that he was simply getting more and more tired as each day passed. He still wasn't sleeping, he was hungry, thirsty and had a headache had been building for at least the last day if not longer. It was hard to stay positive when he took all that into account.

"Virgil?"

"Mm?"

Oscar sounded just as bad as he was feeling. Something had changed in the last day or so. There seemed to be almost a defeatistair lurking in the room. The rational part of Virgil's mind knew it was because they didn't have the strength to continue to fight back, yet all the ten-year-old could really think about was the fact that the room was slowly sucking the life out of them and that they were never going to be found. They didn't speak unless one of them had a particularly pressing matter on their mind - it seemed pointless otherwise. Vader had made it quite clear that they were not getting out of there, restraining them both whenever they made an attempt. Even Virgil had stopped trying now; it just hurt too much considering how tired he was.

"I..." It was unusual for Oscar to sound this hesitant and Virgil found his head twisting to the side in order to get a better look at the boy. They had watched each other gradually begin to look worse and he didn't notice the change in the same way as he would have if Oscar had just turned up looking like that.

"What is it?"

"I'm sorry, okay?"

Virgil felt a shadow of a smile cross his face. There was a slight hint of the old Oscar underlying the tone, something that told Virgil that he didn't want to be saying this. Judging by the way the other boy was refusing to meet his gaze and a slow flush was beginning to work its way up his neck, Virgil had a feeling that he had been building up to this all day.

"Me too."

"Not for this!" Oscar protested hotly, and Virgil felt his smile widen. It was a tired grin, by no means reaching his eyes in his usual manner, but it was still better than nothing. He knew precisely what Oscar was apologising for, but he wanted to hear the boy say it properly. Making sure Oscar didn't see his smile, he tried to lace confusion into his voice.

"For what, then?"

"For... for before. About how I treated you and your brothers. _I'msorryokay_." Despite it sounding like it was clearly a physical effort for Oscar to say the words, Virgil let his smile show. Oscar saw it, and his mouth dropped open.

"You knew what I was apologising for, you little brat."

Virgil nodded, still smiling as he resettled himself against the wall.

"I still wanted to hear you say it, though," he muttered, wondering whether shutting his eyes would allow him the sanctuary of sleep or just make him even more bored than he already was. There was nothing to look at in the room, nothing to distract them from the fact that they just had to sit there, do as they were told and secretly hope beyond hope that someone would hurry up and find them.

"Guess I deserved that one," Oscar muttered, and Virgil chuckled slightly.

"Guess you did."

"How are you feeling?"

"Oh just peachy. You?" Virgil didn't even try and make an effort to sound interested in the conversation. He knew it was the type of tone that would put a scowl on his grandmother's face as she sharply reminded him about manners. But she was miles away right now, and at the moment, Virgil wasn't sure if he would ever see her again. Biting the inside of his lip in order to try and keep the tears of frustration to himself, Virgil let his head thump back on the wall with more force than was strictly necessary. This was just so unfair!

"Meh." Oscar shrugged, an action that seemed to be something of a habit of his. In fact, Virgil hadn't even seen him do it, he was looking pointedly ahead. But he just knew that was what the other boy would do; he had seen it so many times over the last few days.

"Virgil?"

"Yes?" Virgil sighed, trying not to sound frustrated as he once again turned to look at Oscar.

"You know how you said you wouldn't leave me on my own here?"

Virgil nodded, a small frown crossing his face. He didn't understand why they were having this conversation again, not when it just made Virgil feel uncomfortable. Oscar had made it more than apparent he would not return the favour. That was why his next words made Virgil's jaw drop.

"I won't leave you either. I know before I said that I would. But now? No, I won't leave you on your own. You don't have to be afraid of that anymore."

Virgil didn't know what to say. Over the few days they had been trapped together, Oscar had discovered that Virgil's fear wasn't just something childish, but a deep-rooted terror. His mother had gone and left him, and even after a year,the nightmares were still just as vivid as ever. The underlying fear that one day he was going to wake up to find that the rest of the family had left him as well had made itself apparent whilst being trapped, and he knew he had cried out more than once on the rare occasions that he had managed some sleep. Aware that Oscar was watching him closely, Virgil could only nod, not trusting his voice.

But in that split second, something changed between them. Virgil wasn't sure what it was. It wasn't the same determination that they had experienced before when they still believed that they would be able to escape. It was more of a quiet hope, an unspoken message that whatever happened, they were in it together. The two boys locked eyes across the room, and Virgil suddenly saw Oscar as an equal for the first time since he had met the spoilt child.

"My dad _will_ find us," Virgil said determinedly, and Oscar offered him a tentative smile in response. Neither of them mentioned Oscar's father, knowing that would do nothing to help them feel positive. But the pact had now been made between the two ten-year-olds – where one went, so did the other. Clearing his throat self consciously, Virgil glanced away, but his sigh as he leant back against the wall was different from before. The very atmosphere in the room seemed to have changed, a spark of hope being ignited once again. As the well-known sound of a lock being turned sounded throughout the room, the boys glanced at each other once more. Virgil nodded, and Oscar returned the gesture, scooting up the wall in order to sit by his side.

The door opened and the masked figure entered once again, a plastic bag clutched in his hand. Virgil's stomach growled in anticipation and he could hear Oscar's doing the same.

"Dinner time, boys," the man said, his voice not having lost any of its effect compared to the first time they had heard it. He threw the bag at their feet and turned to leave, but something seemed to stop him. Virgil found himself glaring back, and got the sense that Oscar was doing the same next to him. The last time Vader had been in here, he had been faced with two defeated children. Now he seemed to be looking at two adamant, determined little boys. It just showed how much of an impact Oscar's apology had had, for Vader quickly turned away, slamming the door shut behind him and locking it once more. There had been no degrading comments, no snide remarks about how bad Jeff was looking. He had just dumped the food and gone.

As Oscar dived for the bag, Virgil found himself smiling softly. He felt like they had a chance again now.

TBTBTB

"Jeff? Jeff, wait up."

"Harry?" Turning around, Jeff frowned as he saw Flinn hurrying after him. They had given up the formalities the day before, after Jeff's mother had threatened to bang their heads together when she caught them arguing over the best course of action. Somehow, being strictly professional with each other didn't seem to work too well after that.

"I need a word with you."

It showed how much Jeff had come to trust the man when he swiftly nodded. Flinn gestured to a nearby room; one Jeff had learnt was soundproof. Why Flinn had chosen to wait until Jeff was on his own, the father didn't know, but he didn't want to wait to find out so swiftly entered. Flinn followed him in and shut the door.

"What do you think about Arnold Swinger?" The question was so random, so direct, that Jeff could only blink for a moment.

"Sorry?"

"Swinger. What do you think of him?"

Jeff couldn't stop a small smirk spreading over his face.

"I think you know." He hadn't exactly kept his feelings a secret. The only reason he would even be in the same room with the man was because they both had to be there to receive the latest message from their sons.

"And how do you think he feels about his son?"

"What?" Jeff had no idea what Flinn was getting at here, but the man looked grave and serious as he sat down.

"Mr Tracy, have you seen what has happened to your share prices since Cowlishaw published his story?"

Jeff started, both at the randomness of the question and the return to formality.

"No, I...I haven't looked at anything business-related since Virgil went missing. I don't see how that is relevant. What has that got to do with anything?"

"Potentially nothing and possibly everything."

"_What?"_

_"_I saw what yours had done after I saw Swinger's. By looking over his shoulder. The man was checking his stock prices whilst his son is missing."

Jeff could feel his heart in his throat as his stomach clenched uncomfortably. He had a horrible feeling that he knew where Flinn was going with this.

"Hang on, you don't think..."

"That's precisely what I think, Jeff. Your stock prices are through the roof at the moment, both of you are earning a fortune. I told you what Howard said. Swinger would do anything if it meant that he could expand his business. Answer me this truthfully: are you thinking about your business right now?"

"No! How could I? My son is missing!"

"Meaning it could potentially start to lose value again in a week if it is clear that nothing has been done to keep it at the top of the market. I don't know much about business, but won't the share prices drop? Anyone wanting to make money will buy them at their lowest, then sell them on again when you have got Virgil back and are at the top of your game."

Jeff could only blink, trying to process what he was being told.

"Are you telling me that you think Swinger has something to do with the boys' disappearance? Just so that he can make money out of the business? How? He is with us each time contact is made."

"He doesn't have to be working alone. You've heard what is being done about the ransom. You've yelled out every number that came into your head, you've offered him absolutely everything you own, and I've seen firsthand the look of desperation in your eye as you've tried to bargain with Vader-"

"Excuse me?"

"Oh come on, you mean to say that's not who that mask reminds you of?"

"Good point. Sorry, you were saying?"

"Anyway... I've seen you desperate, I've seen you try every trick in the book to get him to give you your son back. And what has Swinger done?"

"Refused to name a price," Jeff whispered, sitting down suddenly as he realised what was being implied, all the colour draining from his face as he did so.

"That's not all." Flinn pulled out a chair, swinging it around so he could face Jeff even as he sat down himself. Momentarily, Jeff closed his eyes, not being sure how much more he could take of this.

"You know Cowlishaw has been sending out daily reports about what is happening with the boys?"

Jeff nodded, but didn't say anything. He knew why they had to have the damn reporter on the scene, but that didn't mean he had to like it. If he'd had the energy, he might have protested, insisted that they got someone else in, especially after hearing about the man's run-in with his mother. But right now, the only thing he could think about was Virgil. It had been almost a week since he had last seen his little boy, and Jeff would have given the world to have him back in his arms right now.

"Swinger insisted that we gave him some stills from the last message."

"Please tell me you didn't?"

"I had no choice, we need the man to be putting out a story that will grab the public's interest. But he's been slipping in things about malnutrition and dehydration, blowing things out of proportion. I'm not sure, but what if Swinger knew that he would do something like that, that's why he wanted him to have the stills?"

"Why would he want that?"

"The worse Virgil seems, the less focused you are, meaning the more vulnerable your business is." Flinn said bluntly, and Jeff sighed. The man had a point, as much as he didn't want to be thinking about business right now. If Swinger was using Cowlishaw – even if the journalist didn't realise it – as a way of manipulating the shares, then they needed to do something.

"So what do we do about Swinger?" he eventually mumbled. Cowlishaw was just an annoyance on the side, he wasn't the main problem here. But if what Flinn was saying was true, and Swinger was involved somehow, then he had been playing them for fools from the very beginning. Flinn seemed to sense Jeff's anger and put a calming hand on his arm, grounding and reassuring.

"This is where I need your help. I need you to try and corner the kidnapper tomorrow."

"What do you mean? How can you be sure that something like that won't put Virgil in danger?"

"Because you are going to be giving him what he wants. You told him ten million today. Are you still prepared to go with that?"

"It's all I've got, but yes. If it means getting Virgil back."

"You're not going to lose a cent, Jeff, you have my word. But I need you to push that, make it apparent that that is all you've got there, you can't go any higher,and ask where to send it, things like that. Vader should then turn to Swinger, believing that it is a plan for you both to have agreed amounts or that he too will offer everything. Police don't do things by halves, we wouldn't have told one of you to make a deal and not the other. If Swinger doesn't give in, if he doesn't name an amount, if he doesn't show even a hint of frustration that we are keeping him in the dark, then we take this further. Oscar is the man's only son, he surely won't risk it if he feels like he is being cornered."

"But then what? What if Vader agrees to my demands?"

"Then he is potentially about to give us a lead. The money has to go somewhere, right? Meaning that we can trace it and get Virgil back."

"And you're sure Virgil will be safe?"

"Jeff, trust me. I'm going to get your boy back to you if it is the last thing that I do. Besides, I've been hearing rumours about your mother and her wooden spoon, I wouldn't risk that. Now go on, I have work to do and you have to go and play Daddy for the rest of your boys."

Jeff knew a dismissal when he heard one and stood up, moving to the door. There was a certainty in Flinn's voice, something that made Jeff feel like the man truly knew what he was doing. It seemed that this potential lead with Swinger had given him a direction to go in, something to focus his attention on in order to work the case properly and find the missing children, rather than just stumbling in the dark.

As he headed down the corridor in order to find the rest of his boys, he could only hope that the officer knew what he was doing.


	22. Chapter 22

**Thank you so much once again!**

Jeff wasn't sure he had ever felt as nervous as he did that very next day, sitting in the small room off to the side of the pool. He knew that Flinn was trying to push the kidnapper, trying to get him to reveal something in order to give away not only what he was after – he couldn't just be desperate for money as he hadn't yet settled on a price – but some kind of clue as to who he was. Jeff had overheard some of the officers talking earlier on that day, so knew that they thought the man was playing some kind of power game. As much as he didn't want to admit it, Jeff knew that he was making a name for himself in the business world. Apparently the police now believed that the kidnapper was getting some kind of kick out of keeping the two richest men in the hotel hanging on without giving them a sign. They were, and always had been, playing this man's game. Even now, Jeff still had no idea what the rules were.

But he also knew that it wasn't just the kidnapper that Flinn was going to be watching. He was waiting to see how Swinger reacted when Jeff tried to drive a bargain, looking for some sign that this deviated from the original plan. After all, Swinger would have expected the police to inform them _both_ if there was to be a change in the way things were happening, and therefore would have been able to make contact with his man to warn him. Caught off guard like this, it would be interesting to see how he handled the situation.

Jeff had to admit, Swinger was the last person on his mind as the laptop slowly flickered into life. His palms were sweaty yet his mouth dry as he stared unblinking at the screen in front of him, wondering what it was going to reveal this time. Although Flinn had warned him how the press were going to react to the images he had supplied Cowlishaw with Jeff now couldn't get words such as "malnutrition" out of his head. Of course, it didn't help that the journalist almost seemed to be buzzing. Jeff had denied him the story, then someone else had handed it to him on a plate, Cowlishaw was going to make the most of this. With the public already trying to help, Jeff knew that playing on their emotions was going to make the whole thing that little bit more intense than it already was. Jeff already felt at breaking point, could he take any more of this? He knew that Virgil was looking worse as each day passed, but what if he couldn't get his son back from this? What if even if they found him, Virgil...

"Jeff, focus." Flinn's voice cut through the silent room, and all eyes locked onto the laptop as they waited for the screen to flare into life. Mentally berating himself, Jeff took a deep breath, visibly pulling himself together and offering Flinn a quick smile of gratitude. The man simply nodded at him, and Jeff had to remind himself that this broadcast was possibly going to be the most important yet. If they could force the man to reveal something, or even get Swinger to give a hint that he knew more about what was going on than just his son going missing, then they would actually be getting somewhere. But all positive thoughts shot out of Jeff's head the second that he set eyes on his son.

"Virgil!" All thoughts of driving a bargain, of trying to monitor the kidnapper's reaction were wiped completely as Jeff shot to his feet, hands clenching into fists by his side. He couldn't see where the masked man was, but he could see Virgil. He and Oscar appeared to be sitting back to back, but what was making Jeff's blood boil was the fact that even from this angle he could see that they both had their hands bound behind their backs – if not to each other – and there were thick strips of material tied around their mouths. The camera pulled back slightly even as a chuckle was heard, muffled as usual by the frankly terrifying mask that the man was wearing. As more of the boys' bodies came into view, Jeff felt tears pricking his eyes. Both had their knees drawn up to their chests, and Jeff could see that their ankles were also tied together. But what captured his heart the most was the sheer look of defeat in not only Virgil's eyes, but Oscar's as well.

"What did you do?" the frantic father found himself yelling. Up until now, although Virgil had been scared and vulnerable, there had been something in his eyes that Jeff had been unable to name. Right now, he knew exactly what it was – Virgil had still been hopeful. But now, that light, that small spark that gave his father the belief that they would be able to get through this, was well and truly extinguished.

"The brats decided to try and get one over me. I would have thought that they had learnt by now that there would be no escape, but apparently not."

Any pride Jeff might have felt at hearing that Virgil had been able to overcome his fear in order to work with Oscar to try and get out was crushed by knowing that it might have got his son hurt.

"But then again, drugging them is just so easy. Makes them go all limp and unresisting, you see. Gives me plenty of time to tie them both up to stop tricks like that again. Now, I would say it's time to get down to business, wouldn't you?"

Jeff continued to stand there for a few moments longer, hands balled into fists and breathing heavily as he tried to resist the urge to do or say something that would potentially put Virgil in even more trouble than he was already in. He had seen the way that his son had been cradling his wrist the day before and knew being restrained like that was not going to make it any easier for him. Jeff had been angry many times in his life, but never before had he felt such a powerful fury race through his blood, threatening to overwhelm him. He knew that for Virgil's sake, he had to keep control, but it was so hard when it was taking every ounce of self-control to not simply put his fist through the screen and demand that someone get his son back to him right this instant. For a man who was slowly growing used to people doing what he asked, this was a serious test of his patience.

Forcing himself to calm down – somehow letting his son see him completely freak out didn't seem like the best thing to do – Jeff sat down again, rigid and tense. He didn't know what kind of reaction Flinn was looking for in Swinger, but the man hadn't said a word. Yet Jeff couldn't even bring himself to glance over. He could do nothing but stare at the screen in front of him. The man had turned the camera slightly so that he was now in view – sitting casually on a small chair – but whilst Oscar could no longer be seen, Jeff couldn't look away from Virgil, just visible in the corner of the screen. Jeff wasn't sure whether he had ever seen his son look that small before.

"What do you want?" he whispered. Unlike the days before when he had demanded an answer from the man, Jeff's voice was now nothing but a whisper.

"Money."

"How much?"

"Everything you are worth."

Jeff swallowed, but caught Flinn's eye. He was trying to be subtle about it, not wanting the man to know that it wasn't just him and Swinger in the room. Flinn gave an encouraging nod, and Jeff took a deep breath.

"Where?"

For a moment, there was a pause. The mask made it impossible to read the kidnapper's face, but Jeff could hear the almost sharp intake of breath. He hadn't been expecting that, that much was clear.

"Excuse me?"

"Where do you want the money sent to? I can get seventy five percentstraight away, the rest will take slightly longer. Just tell me where to send it."

"Tracy, we can't give in to him."

Jeff finally turned his gaze away from the screen to glare at Swinger. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Flinn frowning in contemplation.

"I would give in to him a thousand times if it meant getting my son back safely." Turning back to the screen, he could just about see Virgil's eyes fill with tears and he tried to smile reassuringly.

"So where do you want the money?"

"What is your friend offering?" the man spat, and Jeff knew that he was talking about Swinger.

"Well?" he demanded of the man, not knowing why he was shaking but knowing that something had changed. It was as if he was beginning to set a few rules of his own, and judging by the look on Swinger' face, he didn't like it.

"I don't do deals with kidnappers," Swinger snarled, and Jeff felt a bolt of anger run through him. Forcing himself to stay calm, to keep his face in an expression of neutrality, he turned back to the screen.

"You've had my answer. Where do you want the money to go?"

"We'll deal with that tomorrow." The masked man leant forward, and Jeff felt fear flood his veins. He knew that the feed was about to be disconnected, meaning that he had got himself into it with no way of knowing whether Virgil was going to be safe or not. What if he sent the money over and still didn't get his son back? What was he supposed to do then?

"No! No, we can do it now. You have my word that you will get the money, just let the boys go. Please, please just let them go, I'll give you the money."

"Until tomorrow, Tracy." The man seemed to almost scoff at his frantic pleas and leant further forward. Jeff could only let his eyes flicker back to Virgil before the screen went blank, leaving one furious and frightened father behind.

"How could you say no? Oscar is your son!" He had turned on Swinger before he even knew what he was doing. Deep down, part of him was blaming the man regardless of whether Flinn had got the proof that he needed. If Swinger had also agreed, maybe more details would have been confirmed, or he would have been given some sort of hope that Virgil was going to be alright. But right now, he had just offered the man everything he had and still been told that he had to wait another day.

"Tracy, calm down..." Flinn was already stepping forward, clearly having expected this sort of reaction. Jeff barely heard him, his furious gaze locked only onto the person who, only a week ago, he had been in business meetings with. He had thought that he had begun to get the scope of what kind of man Swinger was by the way he handled his business, but this took everything to a whole new level. He couldn't believe what kind of person could be so dismissive when it was their only child in danger.

"I do not do deals with people who try to blackmail me."

"He is your _son!"_ Jeff yelled, reaching forward and grabbing the front of Swinger's shirt, anger flying from his eyes. Flinn was across the room in a shot, bodily pulling him away from the other man and marching him out of the door without a word.

He only loosened his grip when they were halfway down the hallway and there was no way that Jeff would be able to get back to Swinger. Even so, that didn't mean that he let go of Jeff's arm, nor did he stop moving. It seemed that the man had come to learn a reasonable amount about the Tracys since he had been on this case, and knew that even if Jeff appeared to be calm, it didn't mean that the man was any closer to being in control of his emotions than when he had first leapt at Swinger.

"I need you to calm down."

"But he..."

"I was there, Jeff. I know full well what he just did. But you know what kind of man he is, he'll start trying to get you charged with bodily harm or harassment or something if you carry on like that. I got the reaction that I both hoped for and was afraid of."

Jeff immediately stopped struggling to get away from the man, turning to face him with both fear and hope in his eyes.

"So what happens now?"

"We have no proof. It's still all just speculation, but Mr Swinger is about to be on the wrong side of the desk in an interview, put it that way. Just because the man doesn't appear to care for his son isn't actually evidence that he is involved with this. I need solid proof, especially against a man like that. Meaning I need you to stay out of his way."

"But... tomorrow... he's going to have to be there."

"By 3pm tomorrow, Jeff, I'll know one way or the other whether Swinger is involved. But he is going to pull in the best lawyers when he realises what kind of questions we are about to ask him. I don't need you getting in the way with issues like assault and things like that, ya hear me?"

"But... Virgil... You must have seen how he looked; I can't just leave him..." Jeff knew that he wasn't thinking clearly. Flinn wouldn't just be able to make Swinger confess after spending five minutes with the man. No matter what happened, he knew that they wouldn't be able to find anything out today. If Swinger was involved, then he was seriously good. And if he wasn't, then they were back to square one anyway and it made no difference.

"I swore to you that I would get your son back. I stand by that. Please, let me handle this."

"If you find anything that even remotely suggests that he is involved with this..."

"Then I'll let you at him and turn a blind eye. Come on, we need to brief the rest of the team. I need to know everything you know about Arnold Swinger."

Leading the way, Flinn started walking down the corridor once again, finally letting go of Jeff's arm, although it wasn't lost on the father that he was keeping him within easy grabbing distance. He obviously didn't trust Jeff's temper when it came to dealing with Swinger, and if he was honest, Jeff couldn't disagree with a clear conscience. If he had the chance, he would go for the man now. He knew that he might not have been the best father lately, but to witness something like that... He felt the overwhelming urge to seek out the rest of his sons and tell them how precious they were to him.

Unseen by the two men, yet having heard every word, two figures stood motionless in the shadows, both of their minds whirling about what they had just overheard.

TBTBTB

Scott could only look at John in silence, his mind trying to process what had just been said. He had only wanted to be there for his dad when he came out after receiving the latest news about Virgil, but, just like always, John had opted to come as well. In a way, it had helped, Scott hadn't yet worked out how he was going to get away from his grandmother. John had simply taken one look at his brother's face, declared he felt sick and could Scott come with him to the bathroom? With her hands full of Gordon and Alan, Grandma couldn't agree quick enough. Neither of them had been expecting to hear Jeff's angry voice from halfway down the corridor, especially since it wasn't directed at the mysterious kidnapper, but at Swinger. They knew that the man wasn't their father's favourite person, but Scott wasn't sure he had ever heard Jeff that angry before.

It was for that reason that he had simply grabbed John's arm, pulling him into the shadows. Their father and the man they knew to be one of the officers in charge of the case had stopped almost directly in front of where they were standing, yet Scott had tightened his grip on his brother's wrist. He knew that there was no way that they would be told everything that was going on, yet Scott wanted to know what had his father worked up so much. Something different had clearly happened this time, and Scott was fed up of the police treating him like a child when they went out on the searches. He might be younger, that was true. But he also had a brother to find, meaning that nothing was going to get in his way.

If he was honest, he hadn't quite expected to hear what he had. Swinger was a suspect? They thought that he could use his own son like that? But what was more pressing was the sheer urgency in his dad's voice when he spoke about Virgil. There could be no denying that he had been worried and scared for his son before - every time they had seen him had revealed just how much that this was pressing down on him. But Jeff had sounded nothing short of terrified just then, the type of fear Scott knew they would never have witnessed if the man had known that they were listening in. He wasn't sure whether something new had happened or if his father had just been masking how he was feeling beforehand, but things were obviously more serious than anyone was going to admit to the rest of the children. Judging by the look on John's face, he had been expecting it no more than Scott had, and the two boys could only stare at each other in the dim light as the two men walked off.

As the voices faded, Scott jerked his head to one side and the two boys stepped simultaneously out of the shadows. As John looked at him with wide eyes, Scott ran a hand through his hair even as he blew out a long breath.

"What do we do?" John asked quietly, and despite everything, his older brother had to smile. John didn't automatically believe that their father and the police would be able to fix this, especially not after what they had just overheard. Scott knew that John could be as bad as him when it came to looking out for the others, and was glad that there was at least one person who wouldn't just tell him to let the others do their job.

"We need to get into Swinger's office and get onto his computer. If he has anything, it will be on there," Scott announced matter-of-factly, yet he wasn't surprised when John merely blinked rather than looking astonished. Even so, his younger brother didn't seem quite as happy with Scott's plan as the older boy was.

"Why can't the police do that?"

"Oh come on, John. They'll have to wait for warrants and stuff. You heard what Dad said, nothing is going to be done to get Virg back until at least tomorrow. You must have seen Dad's face as well - something really bad is happening with our brother. Who knows how long it will be until they can access that jerk's files? Unless, of course..." Scott broke off with a teasing glint in his eye. He knew precisely how to get John to go along with him. "You don't think you can get into his files."

"Piece of cake," John shot back instantly, his eyes flashing with indignation that Scott could even hint that he couldn't do it. The younger teenager didn't realise that was precisely the reaction that his brother was after and Scott was hard-pushed to hide his grin.

"Come on then. Shouldn't be too hard now that Thomas is on our side. The door won't be guarded in the same way, but it might still be locked."

"Scott, wait..."

The older boy had already begun to walk off, his mind full of wild things that he might find out about Swinger. A few days ago, he might have hoped that there would just be a folder sitting there that happily highlighted everything that was happening to his little brother. But after the incident with the bodyguard and the realisation that he was suspecting the last person who would let anything happen to Oscar, Scott knew that it wasn't going to be that easy. After all, if it was, then why wasn't Virgil back with them already?

"What?"

"Can we try the conference room first?" John seemed almost nervous about asking, especially as Scott's eyebrows raised in astonishment. John blushed slightly, but pressed on. "You've heard Dad as well as I have the last few days, he hasn't been allowed out of it much. Surely Swinger has been subjected to the same treatment? So if we go by what Dad was yelling about, it means that Swinger must be putting business first. Well, someone like that won't just stop working, so surely he would have his laptop with him?"

"You, little brother, are a genius. Come on!" Scott didn't wait for an answer, but grabbed John's wrist and began tugging him along as fast as possible. They weren't that far from the conference room and it was only a matter of moments before they were peering cautiously through the glass part of the wall.

"He's not in there." Already Scott's voice was lowering and he wondered if John's heart was pounding as fast as his. They weren't just going on a whim, they were trying to go after someone that even the police suspected.

"He might come back at any time, especially if Flinn doesn't take him straight in for questioning."

"I know," Scott muttered tersely, glancing over his shoulder even as he pushed open the door. "We're going to have to be quick." So saying, the two boys darted into the room, only to freeze.

"How do we know which laptop is his? There are three... they all look the same."

"That one is Dad's," John responded, pointing to one at the far end. "You can see the scuffed corner from where Gordon dropped it that one time."

"So it could be either of the other two?"

"Give me ten minutes to find out," John said simply, moving towards where two laptops were sitting side by side. "Keep an eye out, would you?"

As much as he wanted to help, Scott knew that his little brother was much better at this sort of thing than he was, so he obligingly turned back to the door. With part of the wall being glass, he knew that they were going to have to be extra careful. The trouble he had gotten into with his father after dragging John along to go after the bodyguard was going to be nothing compared to what would happen if they were caught now. Not to mention that Swinger could come back at any second.

"John, hurry up!" Scott hissed, wondering whether he could truly hear footsteps or whether it was only the pounding of his own heart ringing in his ears.

"Hang on, it's all password encrypted."

"You can do it, I know you can." Scott wasn't sure whether that was supposed to be praise or not, telling John that he knew he would be able to hack into someone's computer, but right now, John was the only chance that they had of finding out one way or another. Scott could hear urgent typing coming from behind him as he bounced on the balls of his feet, his eyes darting about nervously.

"I'm in! I... hang on..."

There was silence for a few more moments, and when Scott glanced over his shoulder, he could see that John was reading something. His expression was a mixture of anger and fear, and when he finally looked up, his eyes were swimming with tears.

"You have to see this," he whispered. Scott took one last look at the door and hurried over, wondering what it was that his brother had found. Seeing the document that John had opened, Scott frowned and quickly began reading. By the time he finished, he was shaking.

"But..."

"I know." He knew what John was going to say, yet didn't have an answer for his brother. "We have to get Dad."

Both boys had only taken a step towards the door when a shadow fell into the room. Glancing at the glass section, Scott knew that they only had seconds.

"Quickly, get under the table!"

"Is it him?"

"I think so."

The two teenagers dropped to the floor, ducking under the desk. John's grip on Scott's arm was painfully tight, yet the older boy couldn't bring himself to do anything about it. He could feel his own heart pounding frantically and with such force that he thought that it was going to burst out of his chest.

"Scott?"

"What?" Their voices weren't even above a whisper, yet Scott felt like they were yelling.

"The lid is open. It was closed when we got here. He'll know." There was sheer terror in John's voice as he turned to his brother with wide, scared eyes and Scott swore under his breath. He knew that there was no time to shut the lid, but there was still something that he could do to keep John safe.

"No matter what happens, stay hidden."

"But..." John's grip tightened again as Scott made to climb out from under the table, but his brother pulled his hand off.

"Someone has to tell Dad, John. For Virgil's sake, you have to keep yourself hidden." Scott wasn't sure that John would agree, he could read the plea in his brother's eyes for him not to stand up. The shadow had moved now, and from his awkward angle from under the table, Scott knew that they were just outside of the door. John followed his gaze and swallowed hard, clearly having to force himself to let go of his brother's arm. It was obvious that John knew they were out of time as well.

"Scotty..."

"I know, John, I know." So saying, Scott jumped out from under the table and slammed the lid of the laptop down at exactly the same time as the door opened.

"You."

"Me."

John could hear the false note of cheer in his brother's voice, and couldn't help but feel a rush of respect for Scott, managing to sound so brave when they knew what this man was capable of. There was silence for a few moments, and John was certain that the man would be looking between the laptop and his brother, putting two and two together.

"So..."

"Yep, 'fraid so."

John could only see Scott's feet, but he could see the way his brother was shifting his weight nervously. John was just about to jump out himself when Scott sharply kicked him, as if reading his mind. At exactly the same time, another pair of shoes entered his vision.

"You know I can't let this go?"

"And you must know that they are already onto you?" Scott shot back, his voice clearly trying to hide the tremble.

"Of course not. I've been around both the police and your father the whole time."

"But you're not the only one that can't let this go. I'm going to tell my dad right now."

John could see the way that Scott made to take a few steps away from the table. It might look as if he was walking towards the door, but John knew that his brother was simply making sure that the man's attention was directed away from the desk and where John was currently hiding.

"Now you know I can't let you do that."

John couldn't hear if Scott responded or not before there was the sickening thud of a punch landing. Until now, John had only been able to see Scott's feet, but now he could see all of his brother as the older boy dropped to the floor. Flickering eyes glanced towards him.

_Get Dad._

Those were the words that his mouth formed even as he clearly fought for consciousness. John bit his knuckles, trying not to cry out loud as Scott slumped, his eyes falling shut as he blacked out. The other figure bent down, John being forced to watch as his brother's hands were tied behind his back. Then the man straightened up, and that was the last view of Scott that John got before his brother was lifted from the floor and disappeared from sight. The slight click of the door opening followed by the same noise only seconds later indicated that the figure had left.

John forced himself to count to a hundred before climbing shakily out from under the table.

"Scott!" John cried, anguish in his voice even as glanced around. He didn't need to look though. He knew that Scott wasn't going to be there. And sure enough, he was the only one in the room. One hand slipped into his pocket and John breathed a sigh of relief when he felt his fingers close around a familiar flash-drive. Quickly as he could, John copied over the file before sticking it back in his pocket and heading towards the door. John was running before he knew what was happening. Scott had given him an order, and John intended to follow it.

He had to find Jeff. Now.


	23. Chapter 23

**Thank you so much once again for the lovely reviews!**

Virgil bit his lip behind the gag, breathing heavily through his nose as his fingers scrabbled behind him. His head was still fuzzy from whatever had soaked the rag that Vader had forced over his mouth and nose after he and Oscar had once again tried to make a run for it. It had almost worked; Oscar had managed to get on the man's back whilst Virgil clung on to one arm, but their original plan of pulling his mask off had failed as Vader got the upper hand. Oscar had been thrown to the floor, and as Virgil had gone to go to his aid, he had been grabbed from behind.

Everything was a bit hazy after that. He had still been conscious, but it was like his body wasn't listening to him. He had felt Vader pull them both across the room, propping them up against each other and tying them up. But even though his hazy mind, Virgil could feel the give in the ropes, his hands able to twist slightly and almost slide out altogether. His suspicions were confirmed when the thick scarves were tied around their mouths and then the camera turned on: the restraints were nothing to do with them. It was clear that Vader was after some kind of reaction from their fathers, and judging by Jeff's yell, he had got it.

But once the broadcast had ended and the camera was switched off, Vader had simply disappeared without a word. Virgil could only sit there and watch him leave with something of a horrified expression on his face. Their captor had left them there, tied and gagged with no way of getting close to the food and water that had been left. He had squirmed slightly, trying to hold back tears, only to feel Oscar doing the same thing. Their backs were pressed together, and Virgil suddenly realised that he could reach Oscar's hands. If he could do that, he could grab hold of the rope binding the other boy. Virgil could feel the way that it was sliding slightly under his scrambling fingers, that all he would have to do was tug it in the right way...

It felt like hours had passed before Virgil was satisfied with the grip that he had finally managed to get on the rope. Oscar had been fidgeting almost non-stop as Virgil had worked, only this time, the young boy had no way of stopping him. He couldn't move, couldn't speak, could only hope that the rope would slide free when he gave a tug.

To Virgil's delight, it did. He almost toppled over as Oscar wrenched his hands back around to the front of him, the support the other boy'sweight had been offering simply vanishing. Just about managing to steady himself, Virgil craned his head around awkwardly and watched Oscar untying his feet and then unwinding the scarf from his mouth. He turned around and Virgil twisted his head awkwardly, a plea for help. A few days ago, he wouldn't have been sure whether Oscar would have run off to the other side of the room and simply left him there rather than helping him. Now, however, the other boy leant forward and quickly tugged the gag out.

"Are you okay?" he asked almost breathlessly, setting to work on Virgil's wrists. Virgil was just grateful that he was careful around the wrist he had hurt rather than simply pulling. The young artist nodded, swallowing a few times in order to try and get his voice working properly and therefore not give away just how this had made him feel.

"Are you?" Virgil was sure that he didn't imagine Oscar's hands slipping on the ropes, faltering for a split second before continuing to ease Virgil free.

"My dad didn't say anything. He won't do anything to get me back." Even as he spoke, Oscar finished untying Virgil. Virgil twisted, leaving his feet bound for a moment as he placed a hand on Oscar's shoulder.

"But my dad did. He is coming for us. We are going to get out of this." Jeff might not have been able to see any hope in Virgil's eyes, and it was true, being tied up again had really got to him in a way that he didn't think was possible. Yet there was no way that Virgil was simply going to give up. His dad was continuing to fight to get him back, they were even beginning to talk about negotiations - Virgil had heard what had been said. Knowing that his father was doing all that he could meant that Virgil wasn't simply going to sit there and let it happen. He was going to fight just as hard to get back to his family. Oscar met his eyes briefly and managed to offer a terse smile before he backed away, letting Virgil untie his own feet.

It took almost no effort at all to wriggle his feet free of the ropes, and it was only a matter of moments before they were both leaning back against the wall. Virgil found that his hands were playing with the scarf that had just been tied around his mouth, letting his thoughts drift to his brothers. To his shame, he hadn't truly been thinking about them over the last couple of days, only about how his father was going to save him. But right now, he wondered what it had been like for them, knowing that he was missing and not being able to do anything about it. He couldn't help but chuckle ever so slightly as his thoughts turned to the two older ones. Regardless of how much they were actually allowed to do, Virgil knew that Scott and John would be fighting to get him back. No one hurt one of Scott's brothers and got away with it; it was a message that had been drilled into Virgil's head since his first day at school when another boy had tripped him.

"What is it?" Oscar had been watching Virgil out of the corner of his eye and looked slightly astonished to see the small smile playing across the boy's face. Virgil just shook his head, not wanting to share the memories that he was lost in right now. He wasn't sure that Oscar would truly understand what it meant to him to know that the others would be looking for him. Apart from the odd night with friends here and there, this was the longest that Virgil had ever been away from his brothers, and it was almost breathtaking just how much he was missing them, now that he was letting himself think about the rest of the family.

"Nothing," he mumbled in response, shifting his gaze so that he grinned at Oscar, not wanting the other boy to take it personally. As he did so, there was a rattle that both boys had come to be familiar with over the last few days and they glanced at each other in fear. How could he be back already when he had only just left?

Virgil swiftly climbed to his feet, offering his hand and pulling Oscar up at the same time. They almost seemed to have an unspoken agreement that they wouldn't be caught out in any sort of position that made them more vulnerable than they already were, not if they could help it. Side by side, the two boys watched breathlessly as the door swung open and the figure that Virgil knew would haunt his nightmares slowly stepped in. Neither of them said anything, they just glanced at each other in confusion as Vader stepped back into the room, something slung over his shoulder.

As the man turned to shut the door again, Virgil felt as if the bottom of his world had just fallen out, taking him along with it. It wasn't a thing over Vader's shoulder, but a person. Or, more specifically, someone that Virgil knew rather too well.

"No..." he whispered, taking a step forward as he did so. His eyes were locked on Scott's motionless body even as Vader moved across the room, practically throwing the fifteen-year-old down to the ground. Virgil felt fear clutch at his heart when his brother didn't even stir.

"No! Scott! No, no, no, Scotty!" He was screaming before he knew what he was doing, making to throw himself forward. He didn't even notice the way that Vader paused in what he was doing, glancing over at the two ten-year-olds whilst his hand drifted towards his gun. The mask meant that they couldn't tell whether he was surprised or angry that they had untied themselves yet again, or whether he simply didn't care now that he had made his point and shown their fathers that they wouldn't be able to escape on their own. Oscar saw the movement, however, and quickly grabbed onto Virgil's arms, holding him back.

"No! Let me go! Scott!" His vision blurred by the tears that he didn't even notice were falling, it took a while before Virgil realised that Oscar wasn't going to let him get any closer to Vader or his brother. He finally fell still, shakes wracking through him, and watching with wide eyes as Vader secured his brother. He pulled away the bindings that were already wrapped around Scott's hands, taking out a set of handcuffs instead. Virgil found himself swallowing hard at the sight of the metal, knowing that neither he nor Oscar would be able to undo them like they had the ropes. Virgil couldn't stop the small whimper from slipping past his lips as Vader propped Scott up against the wall, pulling his arms awkwardly above his head as he did so. The bar that ran around the room at the height of Virgil's waist was finally being put to a use as the handcuffs were draped over it before Vader locked Scott's wrists into the cuffs, effectively chaining him to it.

As soon as he was done, he moved back across the room and grabbed hold of Oscar. His fright clearly getting the better of him, Oscar squeaked and grabbed onto Virgil in a tighter grip, but Vader simply growled.

"Bathroom."

Realising that he wasn't about to be dragged off to be murdered or something equally as horrifying, Oscar let go and allowed the man to drag him out of the door. As it clanged shut, Virgil swallowed hard, taking a tiny step towards his brother. As he did so, Scott seemed to stir slightly, a low moan slipping past his lips. Immediately, Virgil ran across, throwing himself across the room and skidding to his knees next to his brother even as Scott's eyes began to crack open.

"Scotty?"

It took Scott several attempts to force his eyes to focus on his little brother, and Virgil could already see the way that his shoulders were tensing at the unusual position his hands had been forced into. But even as Virgil furiously wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, sniffing slightly, Scott smiled weakly.

"Hey, kiddo. I'd give you a hug, but I'm a bit tied up right now."

Virgil could only stare at his brother for a long moment before he burst into tears, throwing himself at Scott's chest and wrapping his arms around him, clinging on for dear life. He was vaguely aware of Scott making some sort of attempt to soothe him from somewhere above his head, but everything he had been holding back from Oscar over the past week came flooding out now that his brother was here. Part of Virgil knew that Scott was potentially more stuck than he was, yet at the same time, there was part of his mind that still held the firm belief that his brother could do _anything_.

"Dad will come, won't he?" Virgil whispered, his voice hoarse and trembling as he finally pulled himself back from his brother and sat down in front of him. Before Scott could answer, Oscar was flung back into the room and Vader stepped towards Virgil.

"Up!" he growled, but Virgil shook his head wildly, moving closer to Scott. To his surprise, the man simply shrugged, turned on his heel and left the room again. He clearly knew that trying to get the ten-year-old away from his brother was going to be a fight that he wasn't going to win. Glancing at Scott, Virgil saw him watching Oscar with a slight frown on his face. Sighing, Virgil slumped against Scott's side, letting his brother hold him up.

"Did you..?"

"No."

Virgil could almost feel Scott stiffen in surprise when he didn't need to finish his sentence for Oscar to know what he meant. They had been trying to work out where they were every time they were taken to the bathroom, yet still had found nothing that gave away their position. Oscar hung back on the other side of the room, watching them shrewdly as Virgil continued to lean on Scott.

"He doesn't bite, you know," Virgil eventually muttered, his eyes beginning to close in exhaustion. He knew the look on Oscar's face, had come to recognise it over the last few days. The other boy seemed genuinely afraid of getting any closer to Scott, and deep down, Virgil grinned at the thought. Whatever Scott had done to try and make Oscar leave his little brother alone had clearly had more of an impact than Virgil had initially thought. Then again, things did feel far more threatening after a week of being locked up. Eventually, however, Oscar began to shuffle closer slightly.

"Please say that you do have the army you were bragging about before?" Oscar mumbled, and Virgil craned his head around to get a look at Scott's face to see if his brother knew what the other boy was talking about. Scott shifted, his face pulled into a grimace as he realised that he could barely move because of the way his hands were restrained, but he did manage a smile.

"I've got better."

"What? Scotty, what's happening? Dad knows what has happened to you, doesn't he?"

"He will do. And as for the army... I don't have several people, I just have one."

"Who?"

"John."

Virgil grinned even as Oscar just looked confused, but the young Swinger leant on the wall next to them, clearly beginning to relax in Scott's presence.

"But what can John do? Apart from tell Dad?"

"Oh Virg, he can do so much more than that. We're going to get you out of here. Let's just say that me being here is all part of an improvised plan that we are working on."

Virgil knew that Scott was just trying to make him feel better when it was clear that the older boy had been knocked out and taken without his consent. But underneath the light-hearted tone, there was a true sense of sincerity in Scott's voice. He wasn't just saying these things, he _believed_them. For some reason, Scott believed John could help.

"What? How?" Virgil wasn't expecting Scott's next words, and could only gape at his brother in astonishment when the older teenager spoke again.

"We know who it is."

TBTBTB

John bit his lip furiously as he ran, desperately trying to stop the tears from trickling down his face. It was so hard though, the sound Scott had made as he had hit the floor kept ringing over and over in John's ears as the child frantically searched for his father. His big brother must have known, or at least had some inclination that something was going to happen to him when he had confronted that jerk, and yet he had done it anyway. John knew that it was all his fault – if Scott hadn't been trying to protect him, then they would have both been able to stay hidden. If only he had remembered to shut the lid on the laptop, none of this would have happened. But as much as the young teenager found himself completely terrified by what he had read on the laptop, he knew that he couldn't let it get to him now. He had to focus on finding his father.

He seemed to be running for ages, but eventually, John caught sight of the small room that he knew was being used for police headquarters. Considering what he and Scott had overheard, he knew that was a good place as any to figure out where his dad would have gone. There was an officer standing guard, but John ignored him as he raced up to the door.

Only to have a hand rest on his chest, pushing him back again.

"Can't go in there, kid."

"But my dad is in there!" John protested, suddenly realising how tall this man seemed to be and how much he wished Scott were here to handle this. But there was no big brother to come to the rescue this time; it was up to John.

"Course he is. Why don't you run along and play?"

"No, you don't understand! My dad is Jeff Tracy; I have to speak to him!" John barely noticed that he was yelling, tears running down his face to an even greater extent than before.

"I'm sure your dad is Mr Tracy. But there is no one in there right now. C'mon, kid, go and search somewhere else."

"No! No, I have to talk to him!"

The man took a step forward, and before John could protest, he had taken the teenager's upper arm in a relatively firm grip.

"I've just told you that there is no one in there. If you are one of Tracy's kids, shouldn't you be in your room rather than getting into more trouble?"

John didn't answer, but instead struggled against the grip. He could do nothing, however, as the man simply marched him to the end of the corridor. Once there, he let go and gave John a firm push towards the stairs coupled with a pointed look.

"Go and find your grandmother, or someone else. There is no one in that room, but if I see your Dad, I'll tell him that you were looking for him, deal?"

"But... I have to speak to him..."

"I don't doubt that. But I don't know where he is. Now go upstairs, or do I have to escort you myself? I'm sure your grandmother won't be happy if she finds out that you have been wasting police time." As the man glared at him pointedly, John could only stand there. Satisfied that he had made his point, the policeman walked back down to the office and John could see that he was once again standing guard over the small room. For a long moment, John just bit his lip, knowing that his tears were both through fear and simple frustration. His dad had to be around here somewhere!

Thinking hard back to what he had overheard them talking about before, John suddenly spun on his heel and changed direction. He had heard what they had said, they wanted to pull Swinger in for questioning. But whilst it was clear that the police were going to block him from getting anywhere near, John knew just the person that would be able to get him close.

He took the stairs two at a time, desperately hoping that Thomas hadn't changed rooms. It only took him a few moments to sprint up the stairs and down the corridor, pounding on the man's door frantically. He didn't think that it was going to open initially, and John had already begun to head back the way he had come when he heard a voice calling his name.

"Thomas, come on, you have to help me!" John yelled, grabbing Swinger's old bodyguard by the arm and pulling the startled man from his room. Thomas stumbled for a moment before regaining his balance. Placing his hands on John's shoulders, he held the boy fast.

"John, what's going on? Take a deep breath, buddy. What's happening, where is your Dad?"

"That's what I need you for! They've gone to talk to Swinger, but I need him. Dad, I mean, I need Dad. Scott's been taken as well, we know who is behind it. But I can't find my dad and the officer said that he didn't know where he was, and I just don't know what to do because Scott has gone as well and..."

"Whoa!" Thomas held up one hand, and the simple gesture was enough to cut through the words that were pouring from John's mouth even as the tears once more spilled over his cheeks. Angrily brushing them away, John shrugged off Thomas' hands and began to run down the corridor again.

"Come on, _please!"_

"John, stop! How do you even know where to look if you said that no one knows where your father is?"

"They said that they were going to talk to Mr Swinger. You'll know where he will go, won't you? Please Thomas, he's got Scott and they... it said... I just really need to find my dad."

"Okay, okay." Thomas seemed to realise that he was fighting a losing battle by going against the upset thirteen-year-old. "I'll help you. But _don't run!_"

Having broken into a run again, John skidded to a stop with a startled look and glanced back at Thomas in surprise.

"What's the point of running if you don't know your destination?"

"Um..."

"We do this at my speed, understand?"

"Yes, Sir." Once again, John found himself wishing that Scott was there to handle this. He would know what to do. Instead, John forced himself to walk by Thomas' side. To his surprise, they almost seemed to be moving quicker than John had when he had been running on his own. The bodyguard was walking with a purpose in his step, and John couldn't help but notice that they seemed to be heading in a very specific direction. He didn't say anything, the presence of the man next to him making him want to make himself as small as possibly regardless of the fact that they were on the same side now. It did, however, give him time to gain control of himself and wipe away the last few tears.

Thomas led him straight past the office that John had been trying to get into before and marched him down the corridor, back past the conference room. John stiffened, refusing to so much as glance in there, fearing that he would simply see Scott falling unconscious once again. If Thomas noticed, he didn't say anything, but carried on straight down the corridor. Swallowing hard, John realised that they were heading towards the swimming pool. From what he had overheard from his father, it was the small room off to one side that the contact had been taking place in. Initially, it had just been where the laptop had been discovered, but for some reason, they had carried on using it.

"I'm sorry, the kid can't be here."

There was another man on the door as they approached, and John immediately bristled at constantly being told where he could and couldn't go. His brothers were in danger, all he wanted to do was to find his father so that the man could begin to set things right. Thomas, however, simply carried on walking. Frowning, John kept up with him.

"I said..."

John wasn't quite sure what happened. One moment, the officer seemed adamant that they weren't going to get in, then, by the time that John had blinked, Thomas had him in a headlock.

"In you go, John. I can see shadows in there, your father should be one of them."

John could only stare with wide eyes at the struggling pair in front of them, unable to believe how calm Thomas was sounding considering the position he was standing in. As the officer's hand drifted towards his radio, John knew that he had to move. If things escalated, he was never going to get to talk to Jeff. He pressed down on the handle and practically threw himself into the room.

"Get out!"

The snarling voice of Swinger was the first thing that he heard, but John simply ignored it as he finally locked eyes with his father. Relief stronger than he could express flooded through him and he sighed, his eyes watering yet again.

"John?" Jeff pushed past where Flinn, Nick and Swinger were all sitting at the small table and approached his son. The closer he got, the more he seemed to read the look on the thirteen-year-old's face.

"What is it?"

"We don't have time for this," a voice muttered from behind Jeff, and John glanced over to see one of the officers standing there. He looked anxious and his eyes kept glancing between Swinger and Jeff.

"Johnny, what's wrong?"

"Damnit, Tracy, you can't just drop everything because one of your kids has turned up. As Flinn was so considerately pointing out to me, you now believe that I am responsible for my own son going missing. I will not stand to be spoken to like that and then have you act as if I don't exist."

Whilst Swinger was ranting, John found that tears were slowly filling his eyes and he was biting his lip as he glanced at the floor. If people would just stop seeing him as such a child, he might be able to do something in order to help Scott. Once again, the image of his brother falling to the floor played out in front of his mind. John must have winced more than he thought, for his father's hands came to rest reassuringly on his shoulders.

"Swinger, just shut up!" Jeff snapped, and John's head shot back up in surprise at hearing his father speak like that. He had never heard the man sound like that before, and it was so like Scott that he found himself smiling ever so slightly.

"John, what is it?"

"Scott," John whispered, hating the way that his voice came out as a tremble.

"What about him?"

"H-he's…"

"He's been taken," Swinger interrupted smoothly, causing Jeff to swing around in fury.

"What have you done?"

Flinn had to take a step forward in order to stop the enraged father from getting his hands on Swinger. For his part, Swinger just folded his arms across his chest.

"How could I have done anything? You've been with me."

"Not for the whole time. What have-"

"Dad." John's quiet voice interrupted his father's tirade and the man immediately turned back to his son, flinching when he saw how John's eyes were swimming with tears.

"He's right, Scott has been taken. We were trying to find something on Swinger on the laptops-,"

"You little brat!

"Don't talk to my son like that!"

"Dad! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry… he came in. It all happened so quickly, Scott made me hide. But he knocked him out, and by the time that I came out, Scotty was gone. Just the way Virgil vanished, he's just gone!"

"It's alright, John." Even at thirteen, John knew perfectly well when his father was lying. "We're going to get them back."

John glanced up in time to see Jeff glaring at Swinger as he spoke, a clear challenge in his voice. Mutely, he shook his head, trying to swallow past his fear.

"Questioning him won't get you anywhere, it's not him."

"Johnny, did you see who took your brother? He wasn't wearing a mask or anything?"

"I didn't see his face," John whispered, locking gazes with his father. "But I didn't need to. We had already discovered who it was."

"Who? Johnny, who is taking your brothers?"

A couple of tears spilled from John's eyes as he stared up into his father's face. This was the man who would be able to put everything right again, that was why Scott had told him to fetch him. Swallowing hard, John whispered a single name that caused his father's face to morph into pure and utter fury. He thought that he had been angry at Swinger, but that was nothing compared to the look that crossed his face now. John almost found that he was taking a step back from the man before he caught himself.

But as the room broke into a flurry of activity, John found that there was a reassuring hand on his shoulder again and his father looked down at him.

They were going to get the others back.

First they just had to find Cowlishaw.


	24. Chapter 24

**Thank you so much for the reviews once again. I love how none of you ever seem to trust me or expect me to do something else!**

"Now, John, I want you to think very hard. You say that it was Cowlishaw, did you see his face?"

"No, but…"

"So you can't explicitly say that was who took your brother when all that you saw was his shoes?"

"No, but…"

"So it could be, in fact, anyone at all?"

John bit his lip as he stared at Flinn. The man was trying to be gentle, John realised that. But he also didn't seem to believe what John was saying, especially when the thirteen-year-old had admitted that he hadn't actually seen Cowlishaw's face. In a way, he didn't see why that mattered, it wasn't like the police had seen the kidnapper's face either, not if what his father had been saying about a mask was true.

"Harry, John wouldn't make something like this up."

Thankful for his father's calming voice coming from behind him and the reassuring hand on his shoulder, John leant back on the man. He had no idea what was going on, apart from that there seemed to be people everywhere. The fact that Swinger was still glaring at him from the other side of the room made John feel young and small, and he just wanted to hide back in their room until it was all over and Scott and Virgil were both back safe.

"I'm not saying he would, Jeff. But you told me yourself that John here had an earlier run in with Cowlishaw that ended up with him being hurt. Could it be that because John is already scared of him, he is finding evidence where there is none as a way of making sure that the man can't come near him again?"

"He hasn't! He hasn't been anywhere near us since_ then_ apart from the one time that we bumped into him in the hallway on the very first day that Virg was missing. Please, Dad, I'm telling you the truth. I even managed to copy…"

"I know, Johnny, I believe you. Flinn here is just trying to do his job; it isn't that he doesn't believe you." Jeff gave his son a reassuring squeeze before jerking his head to one side, indicating that he wanted a word with Flinn. He didn't even seem to realise that he had cut his son of mid-flow, the father's mind was all over the place. The officer told John to stay there and moved aside. Left alone in the middle of the room, John wrapped his arms around himself, hating the feeling of being this small. Scott had always managed to keep calm when adults were firing questions at him, so why couldn't John do the same? He glanced over at his father and the policeman, but couldn't work out what they were saying from the distance that they were at. Even as he watched, his dad suddenly stiffened, looking back at John before hurrying back over. Flinn had no choice but to follow.

"You said that you saw him the very day that Virgil was taken? Where? Did he say what he was doing?"

"I don't remember." John shook his head, trying to think about where they had run into the unpleasant man. "But Scott said afterwards that he had been harassing Jack, he bumped into him when he went out to the beach to find Virgil initially. Cowlishaw was going after Jack because he wasn't living off his Dad's money…"

"Nick, find me Jack. Yes, _that_ Jack, Roger's kid."

Nick nodded and hurried out of the room, and John suddenly wondered what they were all thinking.

"Dad, I can prove it. Just let me on his laptop…"

"You shouldn't have been on it in the first place, John. What were you thinking, snooping around like that? First of all you try to go after Howard, believing he _is_ the kidnapper. Then you overhear us talking about the possibility of it being Swinger and you break into the conference room and start rummaging through files?"

"I'm sorry," John muttered, his eyes finding the floor as he realised what his father was implying. Not only had it got Scott caught, but it could have meant that they had undermined any credibility that the police operation had and therefore subsequently delayed the whole thing. His father's hand took his chin gently and tilted his head back up.

"I know you were only trying to help. And it looks like you haven't just helped, but you've solved this whole thing, but that was dangerous and reckless, John. I could have lost you both."

John wasn't used to getting into trouble with his father, but the quiet note in Jeff's voice now made John feel that he was about Alan's age again.

"It's going to be okay, isn't it?" John whispered. For the past year or so, he had been turning to Scott, relying on his big brother to make things better. But right now, Scott was gone, and John found that he wanted his dad to be the same father that he remembered from before their mother's death. The reassuring smile that Jeff shot him immediately soothed his uncertainty.

"It's going to be fine." There was such a determined note in his voice and the adamant glint in his eye that indicated the infamous Tracy stubbornness was coming through. John found that he simply had to believe him.

"Dad, the file, I…"

"Jack for you, Sir," Nick reported, cutting straight through John again as he opened the door and ushered the young man through. John smiled at him tightly, but Jack was glancing around the room, looking both slightly overwhelmed and nervous.

"Don't look so worried, my lad, I just want to ask you something." Flinn was rummaging around in his case as he spoke, but the way he said the words clearly implied that he knew Jack of old. For his part, Jack relaxed slightly, although not all the tension left his shoulders. Whilst Flinn was busy, Jeff crossed over the room and held out his hand.

"Not sure that we have ever been properly introduced. Jeff Tracy. Thank you for looking after my sons until my mother got here."

"Least I could do, Sir," Jack responded, taking Jeff's hand and shaking it. Flinn, however, seemed to find what it was that he was looking for and he straightened up with a flourish, a large, blown-up picture in his hand.

"Jack, I need you to take a look at this for me," Flinn said, moving to come up next to them. Not wanting to be left out, John sidled over and automatically tucked himself under his father's arm. Jeff glanced down at him, but smiled and simply repositioned his arm so that it was resting lightly across John's shoulders.

"Have you seen this man before?"

Jack took one glance and nodded.

"Yeah, right pain. Seen him hanging around a couple of times. He was hanging around the day John and his brothers got in a fight with the other brat down by the boating lake."

John shuddered slightly, remembering the outcome of Cowlishaw's appearance that day, and Jeff tightened his grip.

"You haven't seen him other than that? He hasn't tried to approach you directly?"

"No, Sir. Well, there was once, but that was before the Tracys even arrived at the hotel. He hasn't tried to contact me since."

"Flinn, what does this mean?" There was a firm note in Jeff's voice that John had come to realise meant his father expected to be answered.

"When we went to find him after we realised that we needed a link to the press, we caught him breaking into someone's room."

"So?"

"So, we didn't actually see it, we just caught him down the corridor with the stuff he needed in order to do so in his hand. He resisted telling us to start with, but finally admitted what he was up to. When someone is reluctant to say what they are doing, and then admits to something like that, we tend to believe them. But what if it was just a distraction?"

"He admitted to the lesser crime in order to divert your attention from what he was really up to?"

John was glad that Jeff summed it up in that one sentence because he wasn't sure he was following the conversation otherwise. Flinn nodded as Jack looked on in confusion.

"You mean to say that you think this guy, this reporter, is behind the kids' disappearances."

"Scott's been taken as well."

"Nick, get me a warrant for Cowlishaw's laptop. Do whatever you have to do to get it. I need to know what it was that Scott and John saw."

"Why?" Swinger almost sounded bored from where he was leaning against the wall in his corner, but Flinn's mouth was set in a firm line.

"Because whatever they saw on that computer got Scott kidnapped. John, will you be able to tell my men where you found the file?"

"I've already got it," John muttered. The raising of Flinn's eyebrow told him so much. The look of surprise coupled with his reluctance to believe him about Cowlishaw was because they had already looked through the man's laptop. But Cowlishaw was good, the file had been hidden away and password locked. If they hadn't truly been searching, then they wouldn't have simply stumbled across it. John, however, had been looking and therefore located the file.

"What do you mean, John?" Jeff asked, his voice terse and stern. John glanced up at the man, blushing slightly as he reached into his pocket before pulling out a simple flash drive.

"I didn't want him to win. So I kind of…copied the file…"

Jeff looked angry and Flinn astonished, but Swinger looked suitably impressed. John glanced hesitantly towards the laptop sitting in the middle of the room, the one that had been used for the transmissions.

"Can I?" He wasn't sure if he was asking his dad or Flinn, but Jeff glanced towards the officer.

"If he has already got it..." Jeff muttered quietly, and Flinn rolled his eyes, but nodded. Within seconds, John was tapping away, letting the computer system guide him through to where he had saved the file. It took him no time at all to find it, having made sure that it was easily accessible in case it was someone other than him that had been looking. He didn't know whether it was because he had had a bad feeling about the conference room anyway, but John had decided to save the file on a whim, knowing his father would recognise the stick as belonging to him and therefore he would be leaving behind evidence… just in case.

"There." He eventually double-clicked on a document and sat back as it filled the screen. He could feel both his father and Flinn move in, but Flinn just sighed.

"It's just a copy of the story that he has been doing. The same one that we have been approving and he has been publishing. I'm sorry, John…"

"No, look." John scanned the page for something that he knew would make them take notice and began to read.

"_Eight days since the mysterious kidnapping of the sons of the two wealthiest men. Emotions escalated tonight as it became apparent that the kidnapper had upped his game, both children supporting injuries. No comment has yet been received as to how the fathers are taking this news, especially now that Thomas Howard has been proven innocent of any involvement."_

There was a silence from behind him for a long moment.

"The boys aren't injured."

"It's also not day eight," Jeff and Flinn muttered at the same time, and John looked around to see them sharing looks filled with both anger and disbelief.

"He's already written the story. And now he is just adapting it according to how we react. I bet I threw a spanner in the works when I changed the stakes today."

Despite the fact that Jeff's voice almost seemed calm, John knew that was far from the truth. When his father sounded like this, it meant that he was positively fuming and simply unable to express just how mad he was.

"That, that…."

"Jeff, your son is present."

"He's been playing us all along. He has the boys and has just landed himself the story of the year by covering it!" The calmness finally gave out as Jeff yelled, but no one, not even Swinger, seemed to have any interest in stopping him. John could only glance at the men, feeling more than overwhelmed at the tension that had sprung out of nowhere. Flinn's hand flew to his radio even as Nick ran from the room, clearly under orders that John didn't see being given.

"All units are searching for him; we'll get him for this. I'm not sure whether the story is proof enough, but I'm with you on this one. We are going to get this creep and nail him for everything I can even vaguely make stick. No one pulls the wool over my eyes like that. Everyone that he has claimed to be harassing I need to speak to. If it is like Jack, I bet he has spoken to them all once. Just enough so that when we ask, people can say yes, they had contact. We don't look into it further, not realising he has had more contact than we believe. Not anymore, I want them all pulled in for questioning."

With those words, Flinn swept from the room, although John was sure that he heard words being muttered under the man's breath that he wouldn't dare say out loud with a thirteen-year-old present. Jeff sat down rather suddenly on the edge of the table, his face pale and grey.

"Daddy?" John moved closer, his hand resting on his father's leg. "It's going to be okay?" He wasn't sure whether he had been aiming to reassure his father or receive the reassurance himself, but Jeff didn't even so much as smile this time. John could see by the way Jeff was mouthing something to himself that he was thinking over the wording of Cowlishaw's article. John felt a flash of anger shoot through him at the casual wording implying that his little brother was going to get hurt, and once again, the thud Scott had made as he collapsed rang through his ears.

"No!" John suddenly shouted, turning around and kicking out violently at the table. His father sighed, making to stand up, but John wasn't done yet. He had moved to the wall before he had even realised it, sinking his fist into it over and over again.

"Johnny…" Jeff stood up, clearly intending to come to stop his son, but Swinger got there first. One hand clamped down on John's shoulder and he spun him around, catching John's flying fist in a hand of his own and simply holding him fast. For someone who didn't normally accept physical contact, John was too caught up in his anger to realise, but tried to pull free.

"Let the anger go, kid, they're going to need you thinking straight on this one."

John froze, staring up at Swinger with wide eyes, his whole body tense and rigid. He pulled his hand back, but then realised that Swinger wasn't letting him go. Struggling wildly against the grip, he felt the anger drain away as he did so.

By the time that Jeff had reached him, pulling him away from Swinger and into his own arms, John was sobbing.

TBTBTB

Awkwardly trying to change his position, Scott bit his lip as he rested his feet flat against the floor and pushed upwards. For a split second he managed to get his weight resting back on his legs again, his hands scrambling above him as if they were going to suddenly find a way out of the cuffs. But just like every other time, the action didn't work and he fell back with a thud, panting softly even as his hands twisted in their restraints.

Anxiously glancing over to where his brother and Oscar had fallen asleep, Scott breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that he hadn't disturbed them. It had been interesting to watch as the pair had given into their exhaustion. Scott had initially thought that they would be on opposite sides of the room. But instead, the two boys were side by side, leaning back on the wall and facing the door. Virgil had shifted when he realised that the angle they were at meant Scott's wrists were taking both of their weight. Even asleep, they looked like they were defying their captor, adamantly refusing to give in to him. Scott had a feeling that Virgil's tears from earlier had just been him giving in to the emotions that he had been holding back for all of this time.

Growling angrily under his breath, Scott just wished that he was doing as good a job of holding back his emotions even as his hands continued to twist and tug at the handcuffs, determined to find a way out. Scott knew that he was trying to break free of metal and therefore had absolutely no chance, but he couldn't just sit there and not do anything. He was angry, far angrier than he thought that he had ever been in his life, at the fact that some creep had taken his brother and kept him locked up in this dimly-lit room for days on end with absolutely nothing to do, and judging by the look of the two boys, not enough food, water or sleep. Virgil looked terrible. Scott had promised that he would always look out for his brothers, and now, because some creep wanted to make a name for himself, he had been forced to break that promise. Scott wasn't sure whether he wanted out of the handcuffs in order to escape or so that he could show their attacker precisely what he was thinking about him.

But it was more than just the anger. Scott knew he would be lying if he claimed that he wasn't scared. He had somehow been taken out of the hotel and to wherever this place was without being stopped. Of course, it didn't help that he didn't know where _this_ actually was, but Virgil had simply vanished without a trace and Scott had a feeling that he had just done the same. The only thing that was keeping him relatively calm was knowing that not only had he managed to keep John safe, but that, with his brother witnessing the attack, it would only be a matter of time before a rescue was on its way. They knew who it was. John would get their father and everything would work out fine. He had to keep telling himself that, for Scott knew that if he let himself think of the alternative, he wouldn't be able to hold it together. Virgil had fought for this long, the least Scott could do was make sure that he carried on fighting. Yet he also couldn't get the words of the article John had found out of his head, and he knew that unless he found some way out of the handcuffs, he wouldn't be able to stop it from coming true.

The sound of a lock being opened and the creak of a door jolted Scott out of his thoughts and he glanced up in order to see the kidnapper himself slipping through the door. He shifted how he was sitting and tried to look as indifferent as possible considering the awkward position that he had been forced into. Despite trying to appear calm, Scott could feel the way his hands had clenched into fists above his head, and yet couldn't bring himself to let the tension go again. The man looked towards the sleeping children and Scott bristled, only to swallow hard when the masked figure's attention fell onto him instead. He wasn't sure how long it had been since he was taken, not being certain how long he had been unconscious for. But he knew that in reality, it couldn't have been _that_ long. After all, John would have told their father by now, everyone would be looking for him. If it had been any serious length of time, the man wouldn't have been able to walk around the hotel with ease, it would have been crawling with police, even more so than before.

"You know, you should really take the mask off, right? I know who you are. The police know who you are, my dad knows who you are…"

"Do they now?"

Scott realised that although he had been caught looking at the laptop, he hadn't actually said anything about anyone else being present. Somehow, it made him feel like he had one up over the kidnapper, and he sat up a little straighter, his eyes glinting.

"Yes. You've been good, I'll give you that. But you slipped up; John saw the whole thing when you took me. And don't think you can go after him now, he will have already told the police. They'll make sure that they'll find you, and when they do, they are going to kick your sorry ass, Cowlishaw. So just take the mask off, there is no point pretending."

"But the boys are so afraid of this mask."

Scott was hard-pushed not to shudder himself at the way the voice came out when muffled behind the mask, and he knew that whilst it may have served its purpose of keeping his identity hidden up until now, it would still continue to work as a way of scaring Virgil and Oscar. He wasn't going to tell Cowlishaw that he had revealed his identity, hoping that if he thought the boys to still be ignorant, he was more likely to let them go. But he did have a point – they were both terrified of the mask .Something of his thoughts must have shown in his face for Cowlishaw laughed.

"You know that I'm right, yet you are so busy trying to play the hero that you couldn't find the right words to comfort them with. Tell me, Scott, did you like tomorrow's edition of the story?"

"What are you going to do?" Scott found himself whispering, fear constricting his voice as he thought back to the way it had been causally worded that one or both of the two ten-year-olds would end up hurt. He knew that nothing was going to happen to him as of yet, because Cowlishaw hadn't planned for it to happen. He hadn't yet had the chance to write Scott's role in all of this.

"I'm not sure yet. But they are a spirited pair. Even yesterday, they were still trying to escape. And today, I left them all nicely tied up and get back to find them loose again. Nuisances, the pair of them."

"Let them go." Never before had Scott felt like begging, but that was certainly what he was doing now. He didn't even care how it was making him sound, he just knew that he had to try something in order to get Virgil out of this hell. "You can have your story, you have me. But please, let my little brother go. He's just a child. You've made your point about how good you are. Take them back to the hotel. You'll still have me, you'll still have your story…"

"Oh Scott," Cowlishaw laughed, and the teenager flinched when the man placed his fingers against his neck. "I would say that, because that was just so brave of you, I would think about your offer. But your pulse is telling me just how scared you are. And whilst I have your brother, I can keep that level of fear present in you. The mask might be their worst nightmare, but knowing that I have them, that I can do anything I want to them and there is nothing you can do to stop me is yours, isn't it?"

Scott didn't answer, but just glared at the man, now acutely aware of how hard his heart was pounding and therefore betraying how he was really feeling, despite his best efforts to keep it from showing on his face. His eyes involuntarily flickered over to where Virgil was sleeping, his brow crumpled in distress even then, and he found himself swallowing hard.

"Just let them go, please. I'd do anything…"

"Anything? How about you tell me what room the police have moved the rest of your family to so that I can go and pay them a visit?"

Scott's mouth snapped shut and he felt his glare deepen even as his body gave a slight tremble. Cowlishaw simply laughed again.

"See, you wouldn't really do _any_thing. If you tell me that, Virgil here can go. But you would have it resting on your conscience that it was because of you that I got my hands on the rest of your brothers. Now that is a headline indeed."

Scott could only gape as the figure turned away with a laugh, picking up one of the scarves that was resting on the ground and twisting it between his fingers.

"You say to let them go, that you would do anything. But now I think I've just proven that that was a lie. You really shouldn't lie, Scotty…"

"You- _mmph_!" Scott tried to wrench his head away, but could do nothing as Cowlishaw forced the scarf into his mouth, tying it off tightly behind his head. It didn't matter how much Scott twisted and struggled, he couldn't get it off again.

"I can't have you waking them up and ruining my great plan now, can I? Now imagine their fear. They will realise that I have been back, that I would have been able to do whatever I wanted to you and they would have simply slept through it. I could have hurt you, I could have killed you, and Virgil would have just slept straight through it. And you won't be able to tell them otherwise. I'm not sure even those two little Houdinis will be able to get that knot undone."

With those words, Cowlishaw straightened up again, moving across the room but pausing at the door.

"You are still just a child yourself, Scott. Maybe you should remember that."

Cowlishaw stepped out and shut the door softly behind him without another word. Scott froze as he heard the locks click back into place, but then started struggling desperately. He had spent the last year trying to get people to accept that he was no child, that he had taken on more than most adults could. He was just beginning to get somewhere, just beginning to get his dad back again and now all of this was happening. He knew that his struggles were in vain, that he would never be able to get free, but the anger had been dragged back into existence again. There was no way that Scott was going to let this man destroy everything he had been working so hard to try and put back together, not if he could help it.

When it became quite clear that he was only hurting himself, however, he fell still. Cowlishaw's comment about the boys being Houdinis made him think of Gordon, and an even greater wave of fear crashed through him, battling for dominance with the anger. Would the man really try and find the rest of the family? Were they safe? Had even greater precautions been taken now that they knew Scott was missing as well?

Exhausted and barely able to process what he was feeling, let alone able to think about how he was going to keep Virgil calm, Scott gave up his struggles. Leaning his head back on the wall, he found himself praying that John had done what his big brother had asked of him. There was nothing Scott could do right now apart from sit there and hope that John had managed to find their father.


	25. Chapter 25

**Sorry, sorry, I know I'm late. Again.**

Jeff hurried alongside Flinn, trying to follow what the man was saying as they walked down the corridor, knowing that he was issuing orders in regards to Cowlishaw. Most of it went over his head, but something caught Jeff's attention and he stopped, staring at the man.

"All of this just to get a warrant to seize his laptop?" the father practically yelled, his voice carrying as he tried to vent his frustration. Flinn came to a halt, turning to face him.

"Jeff…"

"You've spent all this time trying to get a warrant for a laptop? My sons are missing!"

"In here." Flinn opened a nearby door, jerking his head to indicate that he wanted Jeff to step through. Knowing that he had no choice and there was no telling who might be listening, the man complied. He didn't go far into the room, however, before he turned, his hands on his hips as he stared at Flinn. The officer entered the room almost painfully slowly before shutting the door, finally turning to face Jeff.

"What is going on? You've got the evidence, we know it is him…"

"Do we?"

"What?" Jeff frowned, getting the very strong feeling that he was not going to like how this conversation was going to go. Flinn sighed, running a hand over his eyes and leaning against the wall.

"I don't like the guy, Jeff, I truly want to believe that it is him. I know you believe it, but still…" Flinn finally met Jeff's gaze head on. "I can't arrest someone on so-called evidence that your son stole. As much as we might believe that Cowlishaw is the one behind the disappearances, I can't just go on a gut feeling. If we are wrong about anything, even the smallest detail, this whole thing will come crashing down around us."

"But John showed us…"

"Showed us what? That Cowlishaw was possibly just practising drafts in case things went badly? It's not easy to write about a child going missing, Jeff, he might just be trying to find the words in case things took a turn for the worst. Hell, he might not have even written it…"

Jeff swallowed hard, mirroring Flinn's position as he sagged against the wall. He knew, knew deep down, that it was the journalist behind it all. He couldn't say why he was so sure, he had nothing to go on other than the way the man had been behaving around his family, yet there was just a gut feeling that Cowlishaw was the one responsible. They couldn't go after the man on gut feelings, no matter how strong they might be. He knew in that moment exactly what Flinn was implying, though.

"What do you mean, he might not have written it?"

"Well, John's creative, isn't he?"

Jeff didn't want to nod, having a horrible feeling that he knew where this was going, yet Flinn left him no choice. As soon as the father had confirmed the fact, the officer pressed on. "And most of the staff in the hotel know that they had some sort of run-in, I heard them gossiping about your call to security to have him thrown from the hotel. You yourself told me what happened between John and Cowlishaw, the fact that your son had the marks to prove it confirming that. But John is thirteen, and two of his brothers have just been kidnapped, one from right in front of him. He only saw the man's shoes, and he has a hatred of someone in the hotel. His lawyer can just say that John forged that story himself in order to shift the blame onto Cowlishaw…"

"But he didn't!" Jeff exclaimed, feeling outraged that Flinn could even suggest such a thing. The man held out his hand calmingly.

"I'm not saying that he did. Didn't I just say that I believed him, that I'm getting the feeling that there is more to Cowlishaw than he is saying? But he has been with us most of the time. It's going to take some wild guess work or very careful investigationin order to be able to find out how he is managing it without anyone noticing. If it is him, it means that he is clever. If he gets a hint of what we are doing, he is going to be able to cover himself. And if he finds out where the source came from, John could be in danger."

Jeff felt the strong urge to bang his head against the wall. Nick had taken John up to the rooms when everything had kicked off, and Jeff wasn't sure he wanted to know what his mother had been told. To know that now it wasn't just her middle grandson that was missing, but her eldest as well… Jeff knew that there would only be so long that he could hide behind the investigation before he would have to go up there and face her.

"So what do we do?" he muttered, wondering if his voice sounded as bad to Flinn as it did to him. If he was honest, he couldn't even say what was running through his head right now, everything seemed to be one big jumbled mess of emotions. He knew that he needed to work through it all in order to be any help, but it was so hard. Worry and fear over his two missing sons – especially Virgil, considering how long it had been – was the dominant thought in his mind, but there was a spark of anger beginning to come through. He _knew_ it was Cowlishaw, now all they had to do was prove it to the rest of the world.

"We get that warrant to seize his laptop. Proving that the file is on there as well and not just something that John made up is our first step. Then we go from there, depending on what is revealed."

Jeff nodded his understanding, hating how they had to go through all the correct channels in order for this to happen. It just seemed to take so much time, something that Jeff wasn't sure if they had or not. He wanted his sons back _now_, regardless of how they did it.

"So what can I do to help?"

Flinn looked at him steadily and there almost seemed to be a hint of amusement dancing in the depths of his eyes. He let his hand rest on the door handle again, clearly about to open it.

"You can go and be with the rest of your family."

Jeff opened his mouth to protest, but Flinn cut him swiftly off.

"I mean it, Jeff. You have to talk to your boys, to your mother, about what has happened to Scott. I don't want you to mention Cowlishaw, though. If the younger ones are anything like their older brothers, they'll try and hunt him down themselves. But you can also make sure they stay out of trouble. We're lucky that John is so young, or his actions with the computers could have caused more problems than either of you understand. Now go, and don't let me see you back down here until tomorrow morning at the very earliest."

Flinn pulled open the door, and whilst Jeff hesitated for a split second, he knew that he had no choice in the matter. It was obvious that there was nothing he could do in regards to helping the police and, even with his mother around, it had been a while since he had properly seen Gordon and Alan. They were going to need him more than ever now that Scott wasn't there to pick up the pieces. He had been the one that they had turned to after their mother's death, and judging by how content the younger two at least had seemed to be even before their father resumed his position in their life, he knew that Scott had been successful in reassuring them. Now it was just a matter of seeing if Jeff could handle them as well as his missing son could.

He left the room and strode quickly down the hallway, ignoring the stares that he could feel being shot his way as he passed. There could be no denying that everyone knew what was going on, Cowlishaw's story was seeing to that, not to mention the constant police presence that had infiltrated the hotel. Jeff didn't let himself think about it though, but just took the stairs two at a time. Thinking about what Flinn had said about John potentially being in danger, Jeff found that he was glancing around as he left the staircase on the correct floor. He couldn't help but think that there probably wasn't much point, though. If it _was_ Cowlishaw, and he had indeed been pulling the wool over their eyes for all of this time, then he probably would have his own way of getting to John. Even so, that didn't stop the father from checking over his shoulder in an almost paranoid manner with each step he took.

Jeff headed towards his room, blinking in surprise when he saw Thomas Howard standing outside the door. Jeff had never quite got the full story from Flinn about what was going on with this man, and so couldn't help but regard him slightly suspiciously.

"What are you doing here?"

The man didn't even blink at the hostility in Jeff's voice, but just regarded the father calmly.

"Nick asked me to come up and stay. John trusts me. I was the one that he came to when he couldn't find you. If it makes the little dude feel better having me outside the door, then that is where I shall be. He did a brave thing today, Tracy."

"I know." Jeff found himself softening at Howard's words and let his hand rest on the door handle. "Do you want to come in?"

"I'll stay right here, Sir."

"Okay… um, thanks?" Swiftly letting himself in before the situation could get any more awkward, Jeff shut the door behind him and leant back on it. Within seconds, his mother had appeared, and one look at her pale face proved that John had indeed told her. Without waiting for her to speak, Jeff nodded.

"It's true," he whispered, not knowing where the other boys were. It was late, potentially meaning that they were in bed, asleep with any luck. Grandma's hand flew to her mouth as she gasped, tears swimming in her eyes.

"Oh, Jeff… I didn't want to believe it…"

"I still don't," Jeff muttered, pushing himself away from the door. He walked a few steps forward, wrapping his arms around the old lady and kissing her forehead. He only held on for a moment, however, before he was pushed away and she bustled back into the room. Jeff followed more slowly, bracing himself against anything that was about to come his way. Grandma had hitched herself onto one of the beds, the easy way that Alan immediately leant against her side showing that was where she had been before. John was curled up in a chair in the corner, gazing off into space.

"Where's Gordon?"

"The balcony, dear," Grandma sighed, clearly trying to hold it together for the younger ones. Jeff crossed the room, smoothing back Alan's hair and giving his son a kiss goodnight. The little boy simply blinked up at him, obvious tear tracks on his face and Jeff sighed, leaving the youngest to his mother. Just as he went to walk away, however, Alan called out.

"Daddy!"

Glancing back, Jeff saw that his little boy had his arms outstretched, clearly wanting his father. Jeff leant over, gently pushing him back against his mother.

"You just cuddle Grandma for now, and I'll be back to give you a cuddle in a moment, okay?" Alan snuffled slightly, but moved into Grandma's side even as she held him gently. Nodding at her, Jeff turned away again, worrying about Gordon being out on the balcony on his own. He knew what a magnet for trouble that boy was. Ruffling John's hair lightly on his way outside, he tried to smile reassuringly at his son, but knew that it came out as more of a grimace.

Opening the doors, Jeff just about held back a groan at seeing Gordon almost level with his head, clinging on to some sort of trellis on the wall and just hanging there.

"Gordon?" The red-head didn't answer, but now that Jeff had made his presence obvious, he moved in closer. Hooking his hands under Gordon's shoulders, he pulled the child down to the floor again, spinning him around to face as him even as he crouched down.

"What are you doing, buddy?"

"Jack got the whole way around on the balconies. I can search every room like this. I can find them."

Gordon's wording showed Jeff that the others all knew about Scott by now, for he was sure that the child wouldn't have been meaning Oscar. In fact, he was almost convinced that Gordon and Alan had forgotten about the other missing child now that they were so worked up about Virgil and Scott.

"I don't think so," Jeff said firmly, knowing that he had to do something before the boys got out of hand. They had been stuck here without any true information for days now, it was only natural that they were more than restless.

"But…"

"Gordon. No. I'm not saying it again, you are not to go climbing over the balconies, do you hear me?"

"I just want to find them!" Gordon cried, fighting against Jeff's hold. His father sighed, resisting his son's tugs and instead pulled the boy into him, hugging him tightly.

"We will, son. I promise that I will do everything that I can to get them back. I won't stop until I do. But I need you to promise that you aren't going to be climbing over the balconies."

Gordon stiffened in Jeff's hold, but his father did feel the small nod before the child completely sagged against him, exhaustion more than apparent. Jeff leant back, combing his fingers softly through Gordon's hair even as the red-head yawned.

"Come on, champ," Jeff muttered, shifting his position until he had a good grip on his son and hoisting him into his arms. Gordon wrapped his arms around Jeff's neck and let his father carry him in, again without too much of a protest. In Jeff's mind, that just showed how wrong things were right now, for Gordon never gave in that easily.

It didn't take him long at all to get the boy into some pyjamas and into bed quietly, Alan having fallen asleep whilst they were outside. Jeff had had a feeling that would have happened, but it meant that both of them could receive the comfort they needed – Alan from Grandma, Gordon from him. Gordon let his father put him to bed, but when Jeff tucked the covers up around him and made to pull away, a hand shot out and grabbed hold of Jeff's tightly.

"Don't go," he whispered, looking at his father with such a pleading expression that Jeff smiled reassuringly.

"It's okay, I'm right here, Gordon." Kicking off his shoes, Jeff pulled himself onto the bed, propping himself up on his elbow as he lay on his side next to Gordon.

"I'm not going anywhere, you just go to sleep now."

Gordon looked like he was going to protest, but settled for holding onto Jeff's hand even as his eyes flickered shut, seemingly of their own accord. Once again brushing back his son's hair, Jeff sighed heavily before letting his gaze cross the room.

He met his mother's eyes, and knew that the expression on her face was the one on his. No wonder the boys seemed so worried and scared when the adults looked almost terrified about what was happening. Jeff just hoped that Flinn found something they could use against Cowlishaw.

TBTBTB

Virgil breathed in deeply as he woke up, the back of his neck stiff and uncomfortable from where he had yet again slept leaning against the wall. There was a frown on his face and tears lingered in his eyes as he straightened up, and whilst he couldn't remember what it was that he had been dreaming about, he knew that was the reason why he was upset. Dashing the tears away, Virgil glanced to the side and found that it was something of a relief that Oscar was still asleep. He didn't know what it was, but Virgil was beginning to feel responsible for the other boy. Oscar had been adamant that Virgil was going to get them out of there, yet everything they had tried had not only not worked, but more often than not had backfired completely and left them in a worse position than they had been before. Virgil knew that if it wasn't for his encouragement, Oscar would have never fought back, and so would never have had to go through the experience of being tied up again. As a result of that, Virgil now felt that it was up to him to make sure that the boy who had previously made his life hell was okay.

But then the ten-year-old looked the other way, and shock ran through Virgil so fast that he completely froze to the spot. It hadn't been some dream that Scott had been here, it was really true. His brother was in exactly the same position as before, with his hands cuffed to the bar above his head. Scott's head was hanging and Virgil couldn't tell if he was asleep or not, but that wasn't what made him start to scramble across the floor. It was the scarf he could see tied around his brother's mouth.

Scott hadn't been gagged before, had he? Virgil wasn't so sure now; he couldn't remember what he had dreamt and what was actually happening, the lack of food and sleep slowly beginning to catch up with him. But no, now Virgil was thinking about it, he was almost certain that Scott had been able to talk to them. He had said that John knew what was happening and who was behind it all, meaning that he would go and fetch their father and then everything was going to be okay. Virgil was adamant that hadn't been part of his dream, but had actually happened. He had also passed on the knowledge about who it was that was behind their abduction, yet Virgil couldn't bring himself to think about that. He would never be able to see past the mask, and right now, that was the only thing he was letting cross his mind.

Yet that would mean that their kidnapper had been back in the room whilst Virgil had been asleep. Not realising that he was reacting in precisely the way that Cowlishaw wanted him to, Virgil sucked in a sharp breath as he crawled closer to Scott, not wanting to think about what could have happened to his big brother whilst he had been asleep. Unlike the way that Cowlishaw had restrained Virgil and Oscar, there was no way that Scott could escape from the cuffs. For the first time ever, Virgil knew that it was going to have to be up to him to make sure that Scott stayed safe rather than his big brother taking the lead. Scott had looked after him for the last year - and longer. It was time that Virgil repaid the favour and made sure that he looked after his brother. If Scott could do it, then so could he.

"Scotty?"

His voice was barely a whisper, yet Scott's head shot up so fast that Virgil knew that there was no way that he had been asleep, especially not if the dark circles already beginning to shadow his eyes were anything to go by. He could tell that the older boy was trying to smile at him reassuringly, he could see it in the way that the corners of his eyes crinkled ever so slightly, but Virgil didn't smile back. How could he when the figure that was now haunting his dreams had come back in and potentially hurt his brother without Virgil knowing? He moved even closer until his hands could reach behind Scott's head.

"I'll get it off," Virgil said firmly, his fingers beginning to feel out the knot as he spoke. After all, both he and Oscar had been able to get out of everything that the man had tied them up with before, why should this be any different? Virgil just had no idea that beforehand, it had been more for their father's benefit than theirs. Vader had simply tied them up as a warning of what could happen if they misbehaved. But with Scott, the deranged man was making sure that he couldn't say who it was behind the mask, not knowing that knowledge had already been imparted. Much as Virgil's fingers scrambled and tugged, he couldn't get the knot to give in the slightest and eventually he fell back, sitting on the floor in front of Scott and staring up at his big brother with wide eyes.

Having his older sibling in the room, yet not being able to hear Scott tell him that it was all going to be okay was almost worse than not having Scott in there at all. Scott had always been the one to reassure him, to tell him softly that it was going to be alright when Virgil had once again felt like their father had abandoned them. He needed to hear that now, he needed to know that his brother was confident that they were going to get out of this. Having Scott muted was almost a sign in Virgil's mind that things weren't going to be okay. If Scott couldn't tell him so, then how on earth would things work out alright?

"Oscar, wake up, I need you!" Virgil practically yelled, startling the other boy awake. He had half-turned back towards where Oscar had been sleeping, but also seemed reluctant to pull away from Scott entirely, as if scared that should he look away, something else would happen to his brother that he wouldn't be able to stop. Oscar jolted awake, letting out a soft gasp at the panic in Virgil's voice but quickly managed to collect himself. He blinked as he looked around, but within seconds seemed to realise what had Virgil sounding so upset and he hurried over. Dropping to his knees, he crawled over to where Virgil was sitting, then paused. Glancing up at Scott, he waited until the older boy had nodded his permission before he moved again. This time, he didn't even hesitate, but began to try and untie the gag. Unlike Virgil, he realised with one glance that it meant someone had come in again because there was no way that Scott had been gagged before. He didn't have Cowlishaw's threats about going after the rest of his brothers ringing in his ears almost constantly and therefore plaguing his dreams. But just like Virgil, he couldn't get the scarf to shift.

"I can't do it."

"You have to!" Virgil yelled, staring up at him in something that could resemble anger. "We have to get it off!" Before Virgil could continue on his tirade, Scott let out a muffled noise and when the younger brother turned to look at him, he shook his head warningly. Virgil knew the expression on Scott's face, knew that it meant that his brother was not approving of him yelling at Oscar and so wanted him to stop. Scott had never truly needed words in order to get through to his younger brothers, having mastered the same look that their father would use in order to get them to do something. Virgil sighed, muttered an apology to Oscar and moved in closer to Scott's side.

Scott automatically moved his legs around so that Virgil could lean against him, and the ten-year-old didn't even hesitate, but did so, his head resting against Scott's chest as his fingers traced patterns onto his brother's leg.

"Dad will come, won't he?" he asked softly, glancing up to see Scott nodding slightly. Sighing, Virgil dropped his gaze again, watching his fingers rather than looking at anything else in the room. What was the point? He knew that there wasn't anything to look at. They had spent days in here, they had seen all there was to see – or rather, not see. Oscar had backed away again slightly, and Virgil shot him a grateful smile, knowing that he needed this time with his brother. He had got his position just right, he could hear the steady beat of Scott's heart in his ear and that gave Virgil courage. Whilst Scott's voice might not have been able to say that things were going to be okay, his body still could, and Virgil told himself that was good enough for now.

His finger continued to move almost of its own accord for a few moments before he yawned, automatically snuggling in closer to Scott as he did so. His older brother shifted slightly, bending one leg up so that Virgil was almost surrounded by him. Smiling slightly at what Scott was trying to do, Virgil wriggled until he was in a more comfortable position. He hadn't been awake for long enough for his body to really get going again and before he could truly comprehend what was happening, he had fallen asleep on Scott, the steady rising and falling of his brother's chest lulling him into a sense of security that nothing else so far had been able to create.

Cowlishaw might have thought – and quite rightly so – that gagging Scott would freak Virgil out. But what he had underestimated was the bond between the Tracy brothers. Just being togetherwas enough to give more reassurance that most people would ever be able to voice even if they had all of the words in the world.


	26. Chapter 26

**Why is there always one scene somewhere in my stories that takes multiple emails back and forth in order to make sense of it? Bee, thank you so much you star!**

To say that the hotel was a flurry of activity was a complete understatement. Flinn had managed to obtain a warrant to seize Cowlishaw's laptop, but apparently still wanted to do things by the book, meaning he wanted to locate the man himself and inform him of the situation, why the computer was being taken and then potentially bring him in for questioning all in the same swoop. Jeff agreed with the plan in a way, it would give Cowlishaw no room for hiding evidence if both he and the computer were taken at the same time. Not to mention he understood why Flinn wanted to do this properly – if it _was_ Cowlishaw (something that Jeff knew in his heart of hearts to be true), then he was clearly good. Any chance to cover himself, and he would.

Unfortunately, there was a slight flaw in the plan. The journalist was nowhere to be seen. Ever since Flinn had gone for the warrant, it was as if the man had just vanished. The search teams were back out in force now, looking for the man rather than the missing children. The only thing that could even resemble being a good thing about all of this was that it meant Flinn had a genuine reason to arrest him now. Before, the evidence had been circumstantial, based on a thirteen-year-old's findings. But now that Cowlishaw had seemed to have run, they had a much stronger case. The teams were spreading out over more than just the hotel this time after one of the security officers had claimed that he had seen someone of Cowlishaw's description leaving the grounds, but something didn't feel right. If the man was clever enough to somehow take control of the cameras in order to make sure that he got away with the kidnapping of three boys, then why would he let himself be seen leaving?Thankfully, Flinn agreed with him and instead had just pulled in another team of experts to examine the cameras, trying to figure out how all of this was being done without anyone noticing.

Sighing, the father dragged his hand over his eyes, earning himself a sympathetic glance from Nick and a withering one from Swinger. The three of them were in the room that Flinn had been using for an office, simply sitting there whilst Flinn himself paced up and down in front of them, sometimes barking out orders, sometimes muttering to himself and sometimes just staring off into space.

"I should be out there," Jeff muttered, beginning to rise as he spoke. He couldn't just sit there. He had to do something, whether it was joining in the search for Cowlishaw, looking for the boys or simply doing a John and hacking his way into the journalist's files as a way of proving that his suspicions were true. Jeff didn't yet know what sounded more appealing. What he did know was that sitting in a small room was a complete and utter waste of his time.

"Sit down," Flinn ordered, his tone of voice clearly one that expected to be obeyed. It might have worked the first few times, but Jeff had had enough of doing nothing, so he shook his head, climbing to his feet. Flinn seemed to have seen his movement out of the corner of his eyes, for it was only now that he turned in order to fix the father with a steely glare. Once upon a time, that look might have caused Jeff to do as he was told, but not since Lucille's death. He couldn't let something else tear their family apart when he was just getting the boys back.

"No."

"I won't tell you again."

Jeff opened his mouth to respond, only to break off with a frown as a shadow made itself obvious on the door behind Flinn. The officer caught his gaze and turned, at exactly the same moment that a small knock sounded. Flinn almost wrenched open the door, startling the officer beyond, but the man managed to regain his composure in order to nod sharply at his superior. But what had Jeff more curious was the fact that the same security man who had claimed to see Cowlishaw leaving was being held in a tight grip by the man.

"You might want to talk to this one, Sir," the officer stated, pushing the guard into the room and shutting the door behind him. Flinn clearly had no idea what was going on any more than Jeff did, but the other officer didn't hesitate to explain. He put his hand heavily on the guard's shoulder, pushing him into a seat, but leaving his hand there, making sure that he couldn't rise again.

"This is George Harris. Member of the security team at this hotel, he's been just as involved with helping us as the rest of the guards."

"What's your point?"

"Long story, Sir. As you know, all of the security guards have been pulled in to help with the analysing of the cameras that we found in that side room, and to figure out how the suspect has been doing this."

"We've had Harris in there with us this morning helping out. But one of my men came out with something interesting. That room had been used at the beginning, the tampering with the cameras revealed that much. It looks like they tapped straight into the live feed and made sure the cameras were looking the other way. Yet no one has been in there since, things haven't been touched."

Flinn nodded slowly, but Jeff found himself glancing around the room, waiting for someone to enlighten him. So they were ruling out the room as a way of Cowlishaw controlling what they were seeing? What was their point?

"But then I found something rather interesting today, Sir," the officer continued, and there was a change of tone in his voice that had Jeff suddenly sitting up straighter, preparing to listen to every single word more intently than he had ever listened to anything before.

"Go on," Flinn said slowly, and Jeff knew that the man's mind was racing as much as his own.

"We got one of our tech guys to have a look at the equipment they were using. Apparently to be set up, someone from Security had to have helped: a username and password had been entered."

"But Co-our suspect has been finding out things about people whether they want him to or not, I don't believe a password would be hard for him to come by."

"That's what we thought. Only we checked. We went back to Security to work out who it was that had entered the information – or had the information stolen, either way. And it seems that same person has been clocking some extra hours – he's been logging into the main system far more than his shifts imply he should." Seeing Jeff's blank look, the man continued.

"Behind the main security desk, there is a door. Normally kept locked unless there is an issue during the day; all the feeds from the security cameras around the hotel feed into there."

"But there is someone in there. Or, if they are not in there, they are on the desk in front, it's part of the hotel's security." Flinn interrupted, frowning in confusion.

"True, Sir. But some people would be able to get in without arousing suspicion. It is the perfect cover. Click of a few buttons and they could alter the security footage with no one even blinking at the fact the person was in there. Security only look at the transmissions if something is going on, they don't look back throughout the day. Our team has just examined the footage from the dates of the disappearances more closely and it does seem to have been tampered with, Sir. Why it wasn't pulled up before, I don't know."

"Maybe because we got the security teams to check it and they didn't flag up any problems?"

"So you mean to say…"

"I think we have an accomplice, Sir. He's been going in and either wiping the footage or altering the cameras so they face the other way during times of movement. He's wearing a guard's uniform, meaning no one is looking at him twice. Even the other guards think that he is helping with the investigation and so aren't suspicious about him going in there. I think he is the one that supposedly checked when we asked them to at the beginning, hence why no issues were reported. And I think it is this man sitting right here."

Jeff didn't know what to say. He didn't know what he was supposed to be expected to say. This man sitting in the seat almost next to him could be partially responsible for the fact that two of his sons were missing. Everything that they could have been through... and this could be someone that had helped make it happen? Jeff didn't even notice that his hands had clenched into fists until Nick placed a hand lightly on his wrist, warning him to calm down without words. For once, however, Flinn didn't seem to notice Jeff's anger. Or if he did, he made no attempt to stop him from getting so fired up.

"So the cameras have been turning a blind eye, and someone has been making them do so. We took the liberty of checking, Sir… and apparently you haven't been home in a few days, George."

"Why's that then?" There was a dangerous note to Flinn's voice that Jeff had never heard before, but it did make him realise just how much this case must have got to him. "Couldn't be because you are helping someone, could it? Someone like Cowlishaw? Someone who we just happen to believe is responsible for the kidnapping and attempted ransom of three minors?"

"Ransoming of two, Sir," Nick muttered, his ears going red as he did so. "We haven't yet received confirmation that he has indeed got Scott, although it seems…" Luckily, the young man had the sense to stop talking when Flinn's fiery gaze came to settle on him for a moment.

"What did he offer you? What did Cowlishaw promise would happen if you helped him with this?" Flinn had got up-close and personal into Harris's space, clearly intending to go for the intimidation tactics.

"You see this man over there?" he continued, gesturing – to the man's great surprise - at Jeff. "That man has lost two of his sons, and you are partly responsible for that. Unless you start telling me precisely what it is that I want to know, I might just forget to warn him to pull in his temper until it is too late, you understand? Now, tell me what Cowlishaw offered you."

There was a long silence as Harris fidgeted, twisting his hands together. His eyes were glancing rapidly around the room and it was impossible to tell what it was that he was looking at directly. All in all, he looked absolutely terrified. That was when Swinger moved out of the corner of the room. He had a small frown on his face as he studied the security guard and when he took another step, Harris almost squeaked.

"He blackmailed me, okay? He said that he would go after my daughter and my wife if I didn't help him!"

Jeff sighed, looking towards Flinn, but Swinger took another step forward.

"Liar," he said calmly, and immediately, the scared expression fell from Harris' face and he simply glared back. In that one look, Jeff knew that Swinger was right.

"So what did he offer you?" Flinn asked again, his voice slow and deliberate, despite the fact that he was clearly trying to keep his temper.

"What does it matter to you? Maybe he just gave me a way of getting back at the people who think they can swan in here and act like they own the place just because they have money."

"Why you…"

"Jeff!" Flinn's warning tone was enough to stop Jeff from moving forward, but he couldn't believe what he had just heard.

"What has he been making you do?"

"No comment," the man spat, sitting back in the chair and folding his arms. His relaxed posture made Jeff's blood boil – this man simply didn't care that three children were involved in this. Nick, however, leant forward.

"I read your file. You're good with technology." Harris glared at him, and Nick almost flinched, but managed to hold his position. "So I'm guessing that you have something to do with why he hasn't been seen?"

"You lot are pathetic, you don't notice when the cameras are being altered or the footage wiped. Cowlishaw has the right idea making his own rules. Why would I want to work for peo-," Harris snapped his mouth shut, but the damage had been done.

The silence in the room was a lot more profound this time. Not only had Harris effectively admitted to altering the cameras, he had also just claimed that it was Cowlishaw behind the kidnappings. Everything had been speculation up until now, despite Jeff's strong belief that it was indeed the journalist behind everything. But now they had proof, they knew for sure who was behind it and how he was getting around without being seen. Without saying anything, Jeff glanced towards Flinn, wondering what happened now. It was all very well and good knowing that it was Cowlishaw, but they still had the same problem - they had no idea where the man was. And without him, they had no way of finding the boys…

Nick seemed to be thinking along the same lines. But whereas Jeff was beginning to feel like he would never be able to get the boys back and that he should have just given Cowlishaw the story that he wanted from the very beginning, Nick looked as if he was getting an idea. He didn't say anything for a few moments, but when Flinn prompted him for a third time, he slowly began to speak. It was clear that he was never going to have the confidence that some of the other officers had, but Jeff knew that he could go far if he was given the chance.

"You've been making sure that Cowlishaw hasn't been appearing on any cameras? How? Is it what my colleague over there said, you've been moving them when you are on duty and just wiping the footage when you didn't have the chance to do it at the time?"

"Why should I tell you?"

"Each camerahas a number," Jeff muttered, thinking back to when they had first discovered the room and one of the guards had tried to explain it to him. "Let me guess, you know his route so simply tap into the system and make sure that corridor appears blank?"

Flinn didn't hesitate but immediately reached forward. Harris tried to draw away, but the man who had first led him into the room clamped his hand down on his shoulder and stopped him. Reaching into his pocket, Flinn pulled out a screwed-up piece of paper, causing Harris to glare. From where he was sitting, all Jeff could see that it had a few lines drawn out on it. When Flinn rotated it, Jeff frowned, realising what he could potentially be looking at: an extremely rough map of some areas of the hotel. By squinting slightly, Jeff thought he could make out some of the corridors. It almost seemed to be the layout of the corridors around both the conference room and the room they had been using by the pool.

"Sir, can I take Harris with me back to Security?"

Flinn looked nothing short of surprised, clearly not used to Nick saying so much, especially considering his request.

"Why?"

"Because I think he has been time looping some of the cameras in order to make a corridor to appear blank. If we can figure out which ones, we can…"

"Find out where he is. Or, at least, find how he is getting in and out," Jeff finished breathlessly, the first hint of hope beginning to work its way into his heart. For the first time since Virgil had been taken, they had a clear course of action that could actually give him his sons back. Cowlishaw might be using technology to avoid detection, but that same technology could also be what worked against him and led them to the boys.

Jeff didn't even notice when he had gone from sitting down to standing up, nor when he had been so desperate to get out of the room. As Flinn granted Nick permission, providing that two other officers were with them at all times in order to restrain Harris when he wasn't needed, Jeff took a step forward.

"Oh, go on then, stops you getting in my way," Flinn sighed, rolling his eyes as the father hurried after the departing men. Jeff Tracy did not just watch from the side-lines as other men found his sons.

TBTBTB

Virgil didn't realise that he had fallen asleep on Scott until the bang of the door being flung open violently jolted him awake. He glanced up at Scott at the same time as his older brother glanced down at him, but neither of them had the time to do anything other than that. Cowlishaw strode into the room, grabbing Virgil by the neck of his top and tearing him away from Scott. Although Virgil tried to cling onto his brother, even hearing the way that the breathing came out through the mask was enough to make his fingers almost lock in fear and he wasn't able to maintain a grip before he was moved. He was pushed harshly to one side, his sore wrist catching the brunt of the fall, causing him to cry out. Curling up, Virgil cradled it against his chest, trying to stop himself from crying out again. He had to be brave – he had to prove to Scott that he could be brave.

Scott, however, had problems of his own. He had automatically tried pulling against the cuffs holding him prisoner as Virgil was moved, but found that he was biting his lip behind the gag. His shoulders were in agony, every time he tried to pull, it sent a wave of piercing pain through his arms from where they had spent so long being craned at an awkward angle above his head. He fell back against the wall again, panting slightly but glaring defiantly up at Cowlishaw. He wasn't sure what was going on, especially as the man had come directly for him rather than the two younger ones. A glance to the side showed that Oscar was inching his way closer to Virgil, so Scott could only hope that it would offer his brother some sort of protection. His attention was distracted when Cowlishaw grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him forward so that his arms were bent back at an even worse angle than before, causing Scott to wince.

"I don't know what you have done, but I want to know why the police aresuddenly looking for me," Cowlishaw snarled, one hand moving and wrenching the gag free as he spoke. Scott coughed harshly as it was removed, working his jaw slightly to try and get some movement back into it. Unable to stop himself, he once again glanced at Virgil. The ten-year-old was watching the scene with wide eyes, clearly trying to hold back tears. Scott tried to smile reassuringly at him now that he could, but Cowlishaw's hand slammed into the wall just by his head and drew his attention back to the kidnapper.

"Answer me! What did you do? I've had those brats for days and no one has even gotten close to finding out that it was me, they are too busy chasing their own tails."

"I told you," Scott muttered, his voice sounding rough even to his own ears after hours of not being able to talk, no matter how much he wanted to. "John saw you; they know full well it was you."

Cowlishaw's whole body tensed and Scott could only imagine what his face must look like behind the mask – probably purple with rage. He had thought that the journalist had taken the news about the fact that there had been a witness far too calmly, and now he knew why. Cowlishaw had thought he was bluffing. At least it had bought John more time to tell the others - and if they really were looking for the man, it meant that they had believed the young teenager. Scott could only hope that it would mean that they were protecting him as well. Cowlishaw looked at Scott's face, seemed to read the boy's thoughts in his expression, and chuckled.

"Oh Scott, you don't think I'm working alone, do you? They didn't suspect me, what makes you think that they will have any idea who is in on this with me? Your brother will be joining you soon, I'm sure."

With no idea that Cowlishaw's accomplice had already been caught and therefore it was the journalist's turn to just be bluffing, Scott found himself swallowing hard. As Cowlishaw turned – no doubt to use the fact that he believed his identity had yet to be revealed to the younger two to his advantage – Scott reacted. He had had enough. He had watched this man terrorise his brothers for days now – not only with taking Virgil from under their very noses, but in the way that he had scared John even when still just a journalist – and he was not going to take it any longer. A rush of adrenaline masked the pain from his arms and Scott lashed out. As hard as he could, he brought his foot up and kicked Cowlishaw. He knew that compared to when he was standing, it wouldn't have nearly the same effect, but it still caused the man to turn.

"You really think that was a good idea?"

"I think it was an awesome idea," Scott shot back, refusing to let the man intimidate him when it was his brothers' safety, if not their _lives_ on the line. To prove his point, he kicked the man again, only to gasp as Cowlishaw responded and backhanded him sharply.

"Scott!"

"Stay back, Virg!" Scott tried to push himself into a more upright position, but his head was ringing slightly and he ended up just slumped, his arms taking more of the weight before. He swallowed as Cowlishaw took another step closer to him, trying to hide how hard his heart was pounding.

"That's right, Virgil, be a good boy and do as your brother says," Cowlishaw mocked, watching Scott closely as the teenager tried to hide his fear. As soon as Scott slipped slightly, he drew back his hand and slapped him again. The fifteen-year-old's head went snapping to one side and he gasped, but he still shifted his position until he was glaring back at Cowlishaw. There was a bright trickle of blood running from a split in his lip, yet Scott simply glowered at the man. Unfortunately, that made Cowlishaw lose control, and before Scott knew what was happening, the man was hitting him again.

How long the beating actually went on for, Scott had no idea. It felt like forever, but considering how rapidly the blows were coming, he knew that in reality, it couldn't have been more than a few moments. He could feel his lip bleeding and the beginnings of a black eye already coming through even as he curled his knees up to his chest in a desperate attempt to try and protect himself. He could hear a slight whimpering coming from somewhere, but had no idea that it was him. The only thought that was lodged in his head was that he had to keep Cowlishaw's attention fixed on him so that he didn't go after Virgil. Every time the man paused, Scott did or said something that he knew would fuel him up again. He knew that it was stupid, that he was going to get himself killed at this rate, and then how would he protect Virgil? But he had failed at finding his brother, and then he had failed at freeing him. There was no way that Scott was going to allow anything else happen to his younger sibling.

Unaware that Scott's only thought was protecting him, Virgil slowly sat up in horror, his eyes wide as he watched his kidnapper attacking his brother. He could hear the cries coming from Scott; he knew that no matter how brave Scott was, even he couldn't take this for much longer. A fiery determination filled him, giving him strength in a way he hadn't felt for days, and Virgil climbed to his feet, even if it was a little unsteadily. Oscar followed him up, and Virgil knew in one glance that the other boy was going to help him. This wasn't just about helping Scott, this was about them fighting back, showing that no matter what Vader tried to do, they would never let him win. He caught Oscar's eye and nodded, and as one, both boys sprang forward.

Oscar went low, immediately wrapping his arms around Vader's legs and clinging on tightly, even when the man tried to throw him off. Virgil, however, took a running leap and managed to spring onto his back. He had no idea how he did it, just knew that he had to stop this man from hitting his brother. Scott had stopped fighting back, and although his eyes were open, Virgil could see that he wasn't properly with it after the last blow to his head. Wrapping his arms around Vader's neck as tightly as he could, Virgil clung on.

Vader kicked out, catching Oscar on the side of his leg and immediately causing the boy to let go, scurrying back out of harm's way. Realising that he was now the only one stopping Vader from hurting Scott, Virgil clung on even more, locking one hand around the opposite wrist even as Vader tried to tear him off. Virgil couldn't help but let out a shout of pain as he jarred his already sore wrist, but the rush of adrenaline was helping to keep the pain at bay for now. The man reached behind him, grabbing Virgil by the shoulder, but the ten-year-old clung on. He didn't even realise that he could hold on that tightly, but just let his fingers grip together even as Vader suddenly moved backwards. Virgil didn't know what he was doing until he felt his back slam into the wall.

Immediately letting out a yell, Virgil found his hands were instinctively letting go as the pain cut through the adrenaline and he realised that his arms were trembling. He was falling; he knew that he wouldn't be able to hold on now… But even as his arms withdrew from around Vader's neck, Virgil found one of his hands moving upwards. As his feet touched the floor, causing his legs to immediately buckle under him, Virgil managed to rip the mask off.

To start with, he didn't notice. He heard Oscar's cry, but didn't realise that it was one of surprise rather than anything else. All he knew was that the second he had taken his own weight, his legs had given way and he had found himself sitting down, leaning back on the wall in order to stay upright. Only after he had watched Scott for a long moment and reassured himself that his brother was still breathing did he realise that there was something clutched in his hand. Glancing down, Virgil let go with a yell, throwing it across the room. The mask was something that had already been giving him nightmares, there was no way that he wanted to be holding it.

Very slowly, he craned his head up, swallowing hard as he forced himself to look at the man who had been making his life hell. For a long moment, he could only look at his shoulder, not quite bringing himself to look into the man's face, but eventually, he forced his eyes up.

"You! he gasped, his breathing picking up as he pushed himself backwards, trying to get closer to the wall than was physically possible. Scott had said who it was, but that wasn't quite the same as seeing the man's face in front of him. Somehow, it didn't help to stop him trembling at all. The only thing that stopped him from freaking out completely was what Scott had been saying about them knowing who it was, that John had gone to tell their dad. But if the journalist could hurt John out in the open with no qualms about it, what on earth would he be prepared to do to them?

"Surprise," the man muttered darkly, moving forward and picking the mask back up. Even with knowing who he was, Virgil was still glad that he didn't put it back on. Instead, Cowlishaw threw it to one side, then advanced on Virgil. Bending down, he grabbed the boy by the shoulder, causing him to cry out as he dragged him across to Scott and threw him down beside his brother. Virgil realised with a start and a rush of horror that Scott's eyes were closed. It didn't stop him from huddling into the older boy though, gazing up at Cowlishaw with wide, frightened eyes.

"I did warn your father that I would do anything for a story. And now he knows…" Cowlishaw moved closer, crouching down in front of Virgil in a patronising manner, smiling in a way that would have been reassuring if Virgil didn't know what the man was capable of. Instead, Virgil whimpered slightly, pushing himself back into Scott and feeling a rush of relief when he felt his brother move slightly behind him.

"Don't look so worried, Virgil, it's not like you have to do anything. Ever again. No more messages to your father, nothing like that, I promise… Instead, you just get to stay here."

Oscar had been inching his way towards the door as Cowlishaw had been speaking, but he froze at his last words, turning to face him even as Cowlishaw stood up. The man glanced over his shoulder and saw Oscar. He tilted his head towards the wall and the ten-year-old didn't hesitate, but almost ran over, throwing himself down next to Virgil.

"Nice knowing you, boys."

Oscar screamed as Cowlishaw moved to the door, slamming it shut behind him and locking it. Somehow, they both knew that he had no intention of coming back again. As Oscar threw himself into a full blown tantrum, Virgil simply shivered, curling up closer to Scott and making no attempt to hide the tears trickling silently down his face. The only sounds in the room were Oscar's screams.

Cowlishaw wasn't ever going to let them out again.


	27. Chapter 27

**Thank you again for the lovely reviews!**

Flinn had granted permission for Jeff to accompany the team examining the security room whilst they tried to work out what cameras had been meddled with. The father didn't mean to get in the way, but for the first time in days, they actually had a chance of finding the boys, of finding Virgil. Not that Jeff wanted Scott back any less, but the younger brother had been missing for so long now, and whilst Jeff might not have always been around for the boys lately, he knew Virgil's fear of being on his own. He just had to hope that his son was holding on, that he was fighting and believing that his father was coming to get him. But Jeff had seen the transmissions, he had seen the look in Virgil's eyes. He wasn't sure how much longer the boy would be able to keep fighting. There had been a deep look of exhaustion etched into Virgil's young face the last time that Jeff had seen him, and the father knew that they had to do something.

_Now._

Naturally, just because Jeff wanted something to happen didn't mean that it did. Harris was being less than helpful. It was almost unnerving how much a man could change in such a short amount of time. From his split-second pretence of being a victim, Harris had gone from frightened to downright cruel in just a few moments. A sneer was twisted into his face as he watched Jeff desperately try and hold it together, and he kept making snide remarks about them never finding the boys, that it was a lost cause and that he would be known for being one of the men who had helped bring down Swinger and Tracy in one blow. Jeff had no idea how the man could even class them in the same category considering their different attitudes and approaches to life, but it was not something he could think about now.

Instead, he had to focus on the fact that he wasn't allowed to punch the creep who was not only partly responsible for his sons' disappearances, but who was now openly gloating about it. Flinn had told the men guarding Harris to listen carefully to everything that the man was saying. He clearly didn't feel like he had anything to lose, meaning that if he was going to brag, there was the slightest chance that he might accidentally give something away about where the boys were. Unfortunately, he hadn't let anything out yet, so it seemed it was going to be up to them to locate where the boys had been taken. The police seemed to think that it was a good thing that Cowlishaw was involved, and despite his anger, Jeff had to agree. The man had been their liaison with the press, he had been with them for a lot of the time. It meant that if it _was_ him who had the boys and had been the masked figure on the recordings, he couldn't be holding them too far away.

Nick had already checked, and there were several eyewitnesses who claimed to have seen Harris at the times of the transmissions, yet no one seemed to have seen Cowlishaw. Now that he was thinking about it, Jeff could vaguely recall that it was Harris who had taken the jobof keeping an eye on Cowlishaw the very first time they had received a transmission. They had left him in the conference room…

Suddenly gasping, Jeff moved forward, making Nick look up. The young man was sitting cross-legged in the middle of the floor, surrounded by bits of wiring and monitors from where he had been problem was, they had already known what the cameras were doing, they had already pieced together how the kidnapper had been using them and yet had still pulled up nothing. But right now, Jeff realised that they had something new to work on, something that they hadn't had before. They had a starting point.

"Go back to last Tuesday," he instructed, leaning forward in order to see over Nick's shoulder. The man frowned, but tapped in the required information and began pulling up feeds from around the hotel on that day. Jeff didn't let him go very far though.

"Can you pull up the camera on the conference room door? At about three o'clock?" He could see out of the corner of his eye the way that Harris stiffened even from where he was being held back. That gave Jeff the certainty that he needed, he was sure that this was going to be how they were going to locate the boys. Nick once again did as he was asked, and Jeff found himself looking back at a scene that felt like a lifetime ago. He watched in silence as Flinn told Cowlishaw to go and start writing the story, motioning to Harris as he did so. His eyes narrowed slightly as he watched himself and Swinger walk off with the officer, heading towards the pool and towards the first transmission. The father could feel the anger sparking through his veins as he watched the recording.

To start with, nothing happened. Cowlishaw was clearly inside the room, Harris with him. But after a few moments, the door opened again and Harris walked out. He called something back into the room, but they only had a visual on the screen, they couldn't hear what was being said. Jeff had no idea if it was words to make anyone listen believe the lie that they were already spinning, or whether it was Harris confirming what he had to do. The guard walked down the corridor, in full view, heading towards the room they were currently in before disappearing as he turned into another corridor. Nick made to follow him, clearly wanting the evidence that he was heading towards the room they were in, but Jeff stopped him. He watched intently until the camera monitoring the conference room began to turn. Nick frowned, clearly realising that this wasn't just a random turn, someone was moving it. Considering that Harris had had enough time to get into this room and set up by now, Jeff thought it was pretty obvious who it was.

By the time that the camera turned back to face the door, it was a good couple of minutes later. Jeff didn't need a camera to tell him that Cowlishaw was no longer in the room.

"So what happens now?" Nick murmured, clearly coming to the same conclusion. "Surely the transmission started at exactly three o'clock, I remember looking at my watch."

Jeff bit his lip, thinking the same thing. The laptop had flared into life at three, so how on earth had the journalist had enough time to get anywhere? For a split second, he thought that maybe he was jumping to conclusions, but as Cowlishaw's mocking smile swam before his mind's eye, Jeff realised something.

"The cartoons. There were approximately ten minutes of cartoons on that first transmission."

"Meaning that if it was four to five minutes before the camera turned away from the door, and it really is Cowlishaw behind this, he has to be close. Really close." Nick stared at Jeff as he spoke, neither man knowing what to say. How could the boys be literally only a few moments away from them and yet they hadn't been able to find them? Security teams had scoured every inch of the hotel and all of its outbuildings. How was it that Cowlishaw had managed to avoid detection?

"Can you work out what route he was taking?" Jeff asked, running a hand through his hair and glancing at his watch in distraction. In only half an hour, it would be the time of day when he received an update about his son. But Jeff got the feeling that he wasn't going to get one today, that there would be no cruel message that secretly helped to reassure him because it meant that Virgil was still alive. Cowlishaw must have gotten wind that they were on to him, especially considering the man hadn't been seen for hours now. In fact, Jeff wasn't sure whether he had been seen since Scott had been taken. Could it be that he realised that there had been a witness and had come to the conclusion that the game was up, that he had been found out? The father wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or not. It would either mean that he would simply give up, gloating over the fact that he had strung them along for so long, or it would make him dangerous. What would he do to the boys when he realised that he had been caught out?

"I can tell you where he didn't go," Nick muttered, already pulling more monitors towards him and beginning to tap away. Watching him work, Jeff realised that the young officer had a lot of potential if he was placed in the right unit of the police. He truly knew what he was doing here. Even as the thought crossed his mind, the door silently opened and Flinn slipped in, a small smile crossing his face as he registered the way that Nick was working. Jeff couldn't help but mirror that smile ever so slightly. They may have never properly worked together before, but somehow, the businessman had a feeling that Flinn would be taking Nick under his wing once this case was over. Maybe there was a future for him there after all?

It helped distract him for a precious few moments as he thought about Nick's future career, but eventually, Jeff could no longer stop himself and began to pace. He didn't care about the daggers that Flinn was shooting him, just making sure that he didn't interrupt Nick.

It could never be said that Jeff Tracy was a patient man. So when, two hours later, Nick seemed to snap himself out of a slight daze and come back to reality again, the father was almost tearing his hair out. Sure enough, there had been no transmission, and in Jeff's mind, that was just a clear sign that it was Cowlishaw behind this. Flinn had had the officers take Harris into town, although whether it was to officially question the man or just stop Jeff from punching him, wasn't quite obvious. Even so, when Nick looked around, Jeff almost froze.

"Well?" he practically breathed, trying to make sure that he kept his voice light rather than revealing the turmoil of emotion that was running through him. Nick potentially was the only one that had the answers about how they would find the boys, there was no way Jeff was going to risk anything coming out the wrong way. He knew that he was being irrational, that Nick would tell him what he had found regardless of the manner that Jeff asked in, but it felt like everything had been snatched from him just as it was beginning to go right again. There was no way he could let his hopes be for nothing this time, not when the boys had been missing for so long.

"I've checkedevery camera for every corridor, and found that some turn at specific points which correspond with how long it takes to walk down the corridor in question… I thought that I had worked out a route that he might have taken."

"Thought?" The past tense wasn't lost on Jeff, and he felt his heart sinking as Nick looked up at him apologetically. The man had barely moved for two hours other than to check certain things on the monitors; no one, not even Jeff, could say that he hadn't tried his hardest. But the look on his face caused knots to be tied in Jeff's stomach and he sighed deeply. Whatever Nick had been onto, he clearly had run into a dead end somewhere.

"It doesn't make any sense. I'm sure that I'm right, one of the cameras would catch you out if you took any other route. But it ends in…"

"What?"

"A storeroom."

There was a stunned silence at Nick's words before Jeff found himself sitting down heavily on the floor, leaning back against the wall in an almost identical position to the one he had seen his son sit in. It had all been for nothing, it wasn't as if Cowlishaw had been able to just put them in a closet and hope that the police wouldn't notice. They were no closer to finding them than they had been hours ago, even with knowing who was behind it and how. He couldn't help but note the irony of his previous thoughts. A dead end was precisely what they had run into – literally.

"Wait…" Flinn said slowly, causing Jeff to raise his head. He was just so tired now, so tired of hoping beyond hope that everything was going to be okay only to be let down at the last moment. The sooner that this was over, the better. But if all Nick had been able to trace was a storeroom, then it didn't seem as if this was going to be over any time soon.

"We need to check out that room. And get big boss man to meet us there."

"But he's…"

"An ass, yes I know." Flinn didn't even wait for Nick to finish his sentence, but pulled the young man to his feet before offering Jeff his hand. There was something so energetic about his actions, something that just seemed to radiate the feeling that not all hope was lost that Jeff didn't even think about what he was doing, but instead let himself be helped to his feet. "Which is why I think there is the slightest, _smallest_ possibility that he hasn't been completely honest about all the rooms within this hotel."

"What do you mean?" Jeff stepped to one side as Nick went hurrying out, no doubt in order to find the owner. How the man who ran this hotel could be the father of Jack, he had no idea. There was such a vast difference within their personalities, no family resemblance in the way that they behaved at all. "How could he have lied about something?"

"He would have lied if it was something that had once been illegal. He wouldn't want to ruin the name of his family, or the hotel. So if something had been going on here that shouldn't, then he would keep his mouth shut. It wouldn't be something that I would normally think of, but just hearing Nick say that Cowlishaw seemed to simply disappear into a closet…"

Still absolutely no clearer, Jeff hurried along after Flinn. Luckily, Nick had provided them with the route that they would need to take in order to get to the storeroom, and it was almost unnerving how close to the conference room they finally ended up. _How_ could have Virgil been so close for all of this time and his own father didn't realise it? Adamant that he wasn't going to let those sorts of thoughts cross his head until they knew for sure one way or the other, Jeff just frowned as Flinn opened the door.

There was nothing in there. Not that Jeff had been expecting to find anything, but part of his mind had hoped that a big blazing arrow would appear, leading the way to his boys. But there was nothing. A few mops and a bucket, a broken ladder leaning against one wall, but that was all. Flinn, however, didn't seem to be perturbed and he just moved into the room, muttering under his breath as he did so. It was clear to Jeff that he was going to receive no answers about how this insignificant room would help him find Virgil and Scott, so instead the father just started looking around himself.

Something had just caught his eye when Nick arrived back. The pristine suit that the man next to him was wearing would have revealed that he was someone of importance even if the smug air surrounding him didn't. Flinn, however, didn't seem to notice any of those. He acknowledged the arrival of the two men with just a nod of his head before continuing to circle the room. "How is your history, gentlemen? What do you remember about what they taught you about the times of Prohibition?"

The owner stiffened, almost in alarm, but Jeff just frowned.

"Alcohol was banned, Sir. So many establishments had secret rooms, codes and passwords, that sort of thing, scattered around so that people could break the law. The police used to try and infiltrate many of these bars, but it was a word of mouth thing only and most of the time they couldn't locate them." Nick not only knew the answer to Flinn's question, he also seemed to realise where the man was heading with it.

Jeff frowned, but at the back of his mind, something was beginning to slot into place. He glanced back down at his previous discovery, bending down even as Flinn picked up where Nick had left off.

"Most of the general ones, we did manage to find. But it was those with money that were considered to be something of an importance, those with a name… They are the ones that had the rooms that we couldn't find. It wasn't just around the back of the old local bars, it was somewhere tucked away, completely secret unless you knew where to look. Old houses, official buildings… hotels. Your family has owned this hotel for generations, haven't they, Martin?"

As Jeff frowned, clearly not being sure how Flinn knew that, the man caught his look. "He was questioned when Virgil first went missing. We were also pulling up blueprints of the hotel and he decided to give us a history lesson on his family in the process. Not, it now seems, everything about them though. Answer the question, Martin."

The owner shifted slightly, not seeming to meet anyone's eyes, but nodded. "Yes."

"And your great-great-great grandfather did like a drink or two, if I can recall what the records say correctly. He would be just the type to have a secret room within his hotel, wouldn't you say?"

Jeff straightened up, his heart beating hard as the man nodded again. Flinn was watching Martin closely, obviously reading his body language and knowing when to press a certain point and when to let matters go. Despite his initial concerns when he had realised the type of man Flinn was, Jeff certainly couldn't deny that they man had ways of getting answers. It was just a shame that the one person they truly needed the answers from had managed to slip past them - there still hadn't been a single whisper about Cowlishaw's whereabouts.

"Where's the entrance, Martin?"

"You're standing in it." The man might not have been involved in the kidnapping, but it was clear that he didn't like the fact that there had been police crawling all over his high-class hotel for the past week. He wasn't going to make it easy for them, but Jeff had other ideas.

"Something like this?" he asked, almost mildly, as he pulled back on the ladder. It moved with ease, something that it shouldn't have done if it had been left abandoned for years. Instead of the ladder toppling over, however, one leg of it just glided outwards. With a clunk, it seemed to lock itself into a new position. The "A" of the ladder's legs didn't show the wall inbetween them, but a door. Reaching through, Jeff pushed, and yet again, it moved with ease. A long, dark corridor wound away from them, and the father shuddered at the cold draft that he could feel coming through. The ground was sloping almost sharply downwards, and considering they were on the ground floor, Jeff knew for a fact that the corridor must lead deep underground. It wasn't just the cold air that made him shiver as he thought about that. Virgil and Scott… even Oscar… they had been held underground for this whole time? No wonder there had been a wild desperation in Virgil's eyes in the last transmission.

"How would he have known though?" Jeff asked Flinn. If the police had no idea that this was here, how on earth would Cowlishaw have known? Flinn shook his head before glancing quizzically at the owner.

"Who else knows that this is here?"

"No one, Not even Jack, he'd see it as a chance to go exploring, even at his age." The owner had a drawling voice, and Jeff realised that this was another rich person who didn't care about the fact that his son had made his own way in the world rather than relying on his father. Was that what the world of business was like? Parents practically abandoning their children in order to make as much money as possible? Realising just how close he had come to doing the same thing without noticing, Jeff struggled not to gasp out loud. He had to find the boys! He had to make it up to them, promise that he was always going to be there, no matter what. He just couldn't help but feel glad that Jack had clearly managed to break away from his father's influence.

"No one at all?" Flinn prompted, taking a small step towards the man as he spoke. Everything about his body language seemed to scream that he was being threatening, and luckily, the message was received. Martin's eyes dropped and he fiddled nervously with his shirt sleeves.

"That journalist found out. He said that he would keep it quiet if I kept quiet that he knew."

"You do realise that we have three missing children, right? You didn't think for a moment that we might want to know details such as secret rooms when we asked if there was anywhere that you could think of that a kidnapper would go?" Flinn was sounding angry now, but Jeff barely noticed. His eyes were firmly fixed on the corridor, just desperate to go down it. It bent away to the right within a relatively short distance, meaning that not much of it could be seen. Were the boys down there? Had they been there the whole time? Had their father been practically on top of them whilst searching?

"I thought that Cowlishaw would have already told you. He was with you when you were questioning me, after all! He told me that he had told you, that he wanted to do a story on the hotel after this had happened, only he obviously couldn't for now as that piece of information was almost evidence. How was I to know that he hadn't passed on the knowledge?"

Jeff groaned. The journalist must have loved that. Being in the room and listening as the existence of the very place where he was holding two – now three – boys hostage was being denied. Knowing that the one person who could have accidentally revealed the location had been too worried about his name and reputation to reveal anything. Flinn rolled his eyes, no doubt echoing Jeff's thoughts, and motioned for Nick to take the owner back to his office. The father wasn't sure whether his ears were deceiving him or not, but he could have sworn that Flinn had muttered something about getting reinforcements as well.

"How did you know that was there?"

Jeff jumped as he turned slightly to face Flinn, but didn't completely look away from the tunnel.

"The patch of floor by the ladder. It's slightly cleaner… The rest of this place is filthy, and I imagine it was even worse when Cowlishaw first discovered it, but there is a clear line through the grime where that leg pulls out." Jeff gestured to the floor as he spoke, and Flinn made a noise of approval in the back of his throat. Not that the father truly noticed, he was already stepping through the gap in the wall, ducking slightly to get past the ladder.

"Where are you going?"

"You mean to say that you have any doubts at all that my sons are down here? We know that it is Cowlishaw, we know that apart from that stuck-up creep, no one else knows about this place. The timeframes fit for the times no one has been with Cowlishaw – especially if we don't take into account it was Harris escorting him at times… everything fits! I heard you tell Nick to get reinforcements; you think he is down here as much as I do. I need my sons back. Now."

Not waiting for an answer, Jeff stepped through, pausing for a moment to let his eyes adjust to the dim light. He could hear Flinn following him in, but didn't say another word as he set off down the corridor. The bend seemed to loom closer and closer as their footsteps echoed around the walls, but suddenly, Flinn threw out a hand.

"Quiet…" he hissed, and Jeff didn't hesitate, immediately falling still. After a moment, he could make out the noise that Flinn had no doubt heard. By straining his ears, he could make out the steady breathing of an adult, coming from just around the bend. But what had his heart racing even more was that Jeff was convinced he could hear the stuttered breathing of someone else, someone terrified, someone trying not to make a noise but unable to stop themselves.

"Virgil…" Jeff muttered, his own breathing picking up. He didn't wait to hear what Flinn had to say about the situation, didn't stop to think about what he was doing. Instead, he hurtled around the corner, only to instantly skid to a dead stop, now forgetting to breathe altogether.

Cowlishaw was standing in front of him, the mask on the floor by his feet. If Jeff had thought about the mocking smile that the man would have been wearing, he would have got it spot on as Cowlishaw leered over at him. But in a way, Jeff didn't notice. Instead, his eyes were locked on the journalist's hand. Or rather, the gun that was being held in that hand.

Or even more specifically, the frightened ten-year-old who was staring back up at him, the gun held firmly under his chin whilst Cowlishaw's other hand was clamped over his mouth. Jeff took a step forward before he realised what he was doing, only for Flinn to reach out and pull him to a stop once more, holding on tightly to the back of his shirt in order to keep him still. He was even vaguely aware that there was the sound of footsteps coming from behind him as well. Yet Jeff couldn't look away, couldn't tear his eyes from his son.

He had found Virgil.


	28. Chapter 28

_Thank you for all of the lovely reviews, sorry that I haven't been able to get back to some of them!_

_We're going for a bit of a time overlap between the two chapters here. Skip back an hour or so compared to where the last one ended! _

Virgil didn't move from where he was curled up against Scott, feeling his big brother stirring beneath him. He couldn't stop the tears from trickling silently down his face, part of his mind wondering how long it would be before Scott was lucid enough to realise that something was wrong. Oscar continued to scream and yell out his frustrations and fear over what was happening to them, but Virgil stayed silent and simply shook.

"Virg?" Scott's voice had never been as welcome as it was in that moment. He sounded hoarse and rough, and Virgil could hear that his brother was in pain, no matter how much Scott tried to hide it. But at the same time, the older boy was awake and talking, meaning that Virgil had someone to tell him that it was going to be okay. Not that he truly believed that himself, but it was the principle of the matter. Something was truly wrong if Scott wasn't able to utter those words.

"He's gone," Virgil whispered, sniffing slightly as he struggled to control himself. If he was honest, he didn't know why, it wasn't as if anyone else was going to see them. "He's gone and he says that he isn't coming back, that he is just going to leave us here…" Virgil's voice broke again and he practically swallowed back a sob. Scott shifted underneath him, and for a moment, Virgil was confused when his brother swore under his breath. But then he realised that it was because with his hands tied above his head, Scott couldn't perform any of the usual actions he tended to do when one of them was upset. He couldn't give Virgil's shoulder a squeeze, he couldn't ruffle his hair in the way that the younger boy pretended to hate and secretly loved. Knowing that it was up to him, Virgil wrapped his arms around Scott's middle.

"Sorry, sorry…" He was quick to apologise and draw back as he heard Scott suck in a sharp breath, but his big brother shook his head.

"S'kay. You hold on, Virg."

Despite knowing that it was causing his brother discomfort, Virgil found that his body was obeying him even before his brain caught up with the situation, and he held on tight to Scott. His brother shifted underneath him again, and this time, Virgil realised it was Scott's way of trying to keep him close.

"Dad will find us, I promise," Scott said quietly, his head lifting until he could rest his chin on the top of Virgil's head.

"You're just saying that to make me feel better," Virgil muttered, his voice almost lost in the fabric of Scott's shirt. He was vaguely aware that Oscar had stopped screaming, and as Virgil rolled his head slightly, he could see the other boy standing once more, staring at the door in what looked like utter shock.

"Oscar?"

"I don't wanna die here…" Oscar mumbled, and Virgil shuddered before he could stop himself. Scott, however, scowled.

"Stop it! Both of you, stop it. Dad will find us. He knows it was Cowlishaw, Virg, John saw it all. They'll find proof, they'll bring him in for questioning… You know Dad, do you really think that he will stop until he has kicked that creep's ass from here to the moon?"

"He'll kick him further than that," Virgil muttered, but found that he was sighing deeply even as part of his mind realised that Scott was speaking sense. He had heard Cowlishaw say that things were getting out of control, that people now knew. Before, he had implied that people just simply didn't know where to start as they had no lead as to who was truly behind it. Judging from everything that he had picked up, Virgil knew that the hotel must be crawling with police, there would be no way that Cowlishaw would be able to get out without being caught. But Virgil knew that the man wasn't quite sane, and he wasn't sure whether being caught out would be enough for the journalist to reveal their location. Scott seemed to realise what Virgil was thinking and he shifted again, forcing his legs closer to his chest as a way of getting Virgil to look up at him.

"Dad will tear this place apart, brick by brick with his bare hands, until he has found us. Understand?"

Virgil mutely nodded, not knowing what else he was supposed to say. Scott was right, of course their father would find them. But despite everything that had happened, Virgil still didn't have quite the same trust in the man that his big brother had. How could Scott be so certain that Jeff would find them when Virgil had been missing for days and no one had got even close? He knew that he couldn't think of that now, trust in his father was the only thing that would get them out of this. Even Oscar seemed to believe it, clearly thinking back to Virgil's previous promises that they were all going to get out of this together. He came slowly over before sitting down against the wall next to them.

"I'm sorry, Scotty," Virgil whispered, not sure why he felt the need to say this now, but knowing that it had to be done. "I'm sorry for how I was behaving. I know that you were trying to look out for us and I've been such a jerk to you over the last year."

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Virg. No one expected you to be okay with what happened. I should have been there for you more."

Virgil didn't think he had ever heard Scott that close to tears before, and it unnerved him more than he was ever going to admit. There was no way he was ever going to say that though, not when Scott was still trying so hard to make them believe that they were getting out of this rather than acknowledging that they were prisoners of a genius. A completely insane, creepy and disturbing genius, but a genius none the less. How else would Cowlishaw have managed to stay one step ahead of everyone for all of this time if he wasn't smart?

"No. Dad should have."

"Virg…"

"Dad should have been there. And he is now, and I need to tell him what it means to know that he is trying to find his way back to us. I have to tell him, Scott, I have to say that I'm sorry…"

"Shh, Virg. It's okay, you will get your chance."

Virgil just sniffed and curled in closer to his big brother once again, silence falling over the trio. Words seemed meaningless, there was nothing to be said. His emotions beginning to slowly get the better of him, Virgil didn't realise that he was gradually beginning to fall asleep until he suddenly felt Scott stiffen.

"Wha'?"

"Listen," Scott breathed, and Virgil pushed himself into a more upright position, realising that Oscar was doing the same next to them. Even Scott tried to straighten himself a little. There could be no denying what they were hearing, and Virgil felt a wide grin split over his face as he realised the footsteps were coming closer with every passing second.

"Someone's coming," Oscar whispered, and Virgil found himself exchanging hopeful looks with the boy. Both climbed to their feet, but Scott swallowed hard.

"Guys, keep back," he hissed, and Virgil turned to face him, a frown on his face.

"But why, someone is…"

"Someone is _not_ coming."

Virgil blinked, surprised to hear Scott sounding so desperate. His big brother was tugging on the handcuffs again, and Virgil whimpered slightly when he saw that Scott had been rubbing his wrists raw trying to get out of them. "Virg, it's…"

Scott didn't have time to finish his sentence before the door was flung open almost violently. Virgil didn't mean to let out a noise, but he was unable to catch himself in time. A small cry tore from him as he looked up at the figure once again standing imposingly over him, and before he knew what he was doing, he had dropped back to his knees, crawling back to Scott's side. Cowlishaw glared at them, fury coming from the man in waves as he walked in, something black in his hand that Virgil didn't like the look of.

"Change of plan, boys. Seems Daddy Dearest was quicker on the mark than I thought that he would be. Meaning I've had to do a quick recalculation. One of you is coming with me."

"Take me," Scott said instantly, not seeming surprised by Cowlishaw's reappearance but instead focused on glaring at the man. Virgil simply swallowed hard, hiding his face away in Scott's shirt. "They're just kids, you don't want to hurt them…"

"The fact that they are just kids, Scott, is precisely why it is going to be one of them rather than you. Fifteen-year-old like yourself, you'll give me too much of a fight, meaning it has to be one of them." Cowlishaw paused, glancing between Oscar and Virgil before striding forward. Virgil tried to cling to Scott as hard as he could, his brother's yells of protest ringing in his ears as Cowlishaw grabbed him by the arm, pulling him away. A soft scream escaped Virgil as he fought to get free, but Cowlishaw simply pushed him down, forcing him to his knees.

"Don't! Please don't! I won't fight you, just leave them alone."

"Sorry, Scott, no can do. You see, someone has entered the tunnels. I have a feeling that it is your dear father. Now, I know that he won't do anything that would risk one of his precious boys, and if I have one of them and the whereabouts of the other is unknown, then he'll do exactly as I say. Swinger, on the other hand, I can't quite predict in the same way. Meaning it has to be one of you Tracy brats rather than Oscar there, and as I said before, it can't be you. That only leaves Virgil now, doesn't it?"

"Please, don't…"

"Oh shut up."

Virgil cried out as he realised that it was a reel of duct tape that Cowlishaw had in his hand, and he could only kneel there as the journalist tore off a strip and stuck it over Scott's mouth. His brother breathed heavily through his nose, locking eyes with Virgil. There was no attempt at reassurance this time, just a frantic desperation, a fear that Virgil had never witnessed in Scott's eyes before. He didn't realise that he had zoned everything else out as he locked eyes with his brother until Cowlishaw had grabbed him by the arm once again. Virgil glanced over at Oscar, and found that the other boy was gagged in the same way as Scott, his hands bound in front of him with the tape.

"Scott…" Virgil begged, struggling weakly as he was hauled to his feet. Cowlishaw reached into his pocket with one hand and wrapped the other arm around Virgil's chest, pinning his arms to his sides as he began to drag him backwards and out of the room. Scott wrenched himself forward, letting out a muffled noise as he did so.

"No, Scott…" Virgil struggled, did everything that he could to pull Cowlishaw's arm away from him, but the door was closing and he was losing sight of his brother. He cried out as the door snapped shut properly, but then froze when Cowlishaw's hand finally emerged from his pocket, a gun resting in his grip. Virgil's breath caught in his throat and he stuttered slightly, resistance leaving him and giving Cowlishaw enough grip to be able to start dragging him down the corridor.

Virgil could feel the tears sliding thick and fast down his cheeks, but he was more worried by the fact that the gun had come to rest under his chin, the cold muzzle digging in painfully. As he was hauled around a corner, Virgil was aware that there had been something else in Cowlishaw's pocket. A rush of adrenaline allowed him to wrench one arm free and he was able to pull the mask out, throwing it to the floor and kicking it violently in front of them. If nothing else, he was going to make sure that there was some evidence that Cowlishaw had been down here, even if that was the only thing that would enable someone to find Scott. The journalist growled angrily as he realised what Virgil had done, readjusting his grip in order to once again pin the boy's arms, but then another sound made them both stop.

Voices. There was someone else in the corridor, and Virgil felt his breath catch again, but for completely different reasons this time. Cowlishaw had mentioned that someone was approaching, but Virgil hadn't believed it. Until now, that was.

"Dad…." he whispered, absolutely certain that that was who would be just around the next corner.

"Quiet," Cowlishaw hissed, beginning to adjust his positioning once again. Virgil, however, didn't notice.

"Dad," he repeated, his voice slightly louder this time, but still constricted with emotion. He started to struggle against Cowlishaw's hold, making to call out to his father once again when a hand clamped over his mouth, hard. The angle was all wrong, Virgil found that the force of the action was enough to pin him back against Cowlishaw, the mask resting at their feet. Virgil whimpered, trying to pull away, but the man's hold was too strong and Virgil could do nothing but be held there, silenced and terrified as he waited for whoever it was to come around the corner.

It seemed to take an age before the footsteps actually caught up with them, but the ten-year-old was unable to stop his eyes going wide with relief. Cowlishaw had been shuffling them slowly forward, but as soon as they rounded the corner, others came into view. Virgil only had eyes for one man however. The person that was breathing his name, taking a step forward before being pulled to a stop himself.

His father had found him.

"Let him go!"

Whoever the police officer was, Virgil could make out enough to know that he was having to really hold on tight in order to keep Jeff back, his father's words a mixture of fury and concern. At the same time, he could feel Cowlishaw tighten his own grip even as more figures spilled from what looked like a small entrance behind his father. If he was honest, Virgil wasn't paying too much attention to what was going on, he found that his eyes were locked on his dad even as he struggled against Cowlishaw's hold, muffled noises spilling from his mouth. The gun pressed tighter into his skin as the newly arrived officers drew their own weapons.

"Stop! Please, everyone just stop, take it nice and easy now… Cowlishaw, let Virgil go. He's been through enough, let my son go."

Virgil had never heard his father sound like that before, and it was almost unnerving how frantic the man sounded. But regardless of what his voice was doing, Jeff's eyes were soft and reassuring as Virgil looked up at the man. Despite everything that the pair of them had been through, all the bumps along the road that their relationship had taken, Virgil knew with that one look that his father was promising to get him out of this, that everything was going to be okay.

"Back away. Call off your dogs. Tracy, give me a clean getaway, and I'll tell you where Scott is."

"Tell me where Scott is, let Virgil go and you'll be able to get out of here."

"As if I'm going to believe that."

Virgil found that it was getting increasingly difficult to swallow as Cowlishaw pushed the gun even closer. Virgil could feel every detail of the muzzle being pressed against his throat and he shut his eyes with a whimper, knowing that hot tears were seeping from the corners of his eyes.

"Please, just look at him, let him go…"

"If you don't do as I say, Tracy, I'll never let him go. I don't think that you really want to turn this into a matter of violence when I have both of your sons at my mercy still. Virgil will be able to tell you that Scott isn't in the best of conditions right now." Cowlishaw's hand disappeared from around Virgil's mouth, but he grabbed the boy by the back of his collar instead, holding him back even as he kept the gun pressed against his neck.

"Tell your father, boy. Tell him what happened to Scott. Lie, and I'll do it again."

"H-he… He hurt him. I think it is bad…I'm sorry, I couldn't…" His eyes locked with his father's, Virgil was unable to stop the sobs coming from him as he thought back to how he had just frozen for a long moment, helpless to do anything other than watch as Cowlishaw had attacked Scott.

"It's not your fault, Virg, you have nothing to be sorry for," Jeff whispered gently, reaching out a hand towards his son. But Cowlishaw yanked on the material of Virgil's shirt, pulling him back into him. He did, however, finally remove the gun from the child's throat as he instead pointed it at Jeff.

"You will step aside."

"Not until I know my sons are safe. Oscar as well," Jeff responded firmly, and Virgil bit his lip as Cowlishaw gave him a small shake, clearly trying to warn his father off from doing something he might regret.

"You think that you are in a position to bargain with me when I have your sons?" Cowlishaw almost sounded amused as he flicked the safety off the gun, glancing pointedly between Jeff and Virgil. His message was clear, unless the father played along, then it would be the son that paid the price. But it wasn't for no reason that Jeff had managed to rise so quickly in the business world, and he stared coolly back. It was only the way that his hands were clenched behind his back, clearly as a way of trying to control himself that Virgil knew that it was all an act, that his father was shaking almost as much as he was. But when Jeff spoke again, his voice was completely steady.

"You seem to think that you are in a position to bargain when you are completely and utterly surrounded."

It didn't matter how hard he looked back on those events in years to come, Virgil still couldn't say what happened next. The only thing that he could see was Cowlishaw's gun aimed at his father, and he was convinced that the man was about to get shot. He struggled harder than before, and there was a curse as something clicked, then a loud bang echoed around the small corridor. Virgil screamed as the first shot echoed out and then there was silence for a few seconds.

Then the shooting started.

Cowlishaw had let go of him as he brought both hands to his gun, and Virgil felt a hand on the back of his neck, forcing him to the floor. He went down obediently, his mind completely blank. When he finally looked up, it was to find that it was his father holding him down, the man's body practically draped over his as a way of trying to keep him safe from the flying bullets. Cowlishaw had disappeared back around the corner in order to use it as some sort of cover. He was still there, though, that was obvious by the returning fire.

"Stop! Stop it, my son is in the middle!" Jeff was yelling, trying to do something to make it safe for him to get Virgil out, but the ten-year-old didn't notice. It was as if everything was happening in slow motion, the noise muted even as bullets whizzed over his head. He didn't hear the youngest officer cry out in pain, dropping to the floor as one of Cowlishaw's bullets ripped into his leg, he didn't see the man who had originally accompanied his father down there snarl in outrage, running forward. He clearly wasn't going to give Cowlishaw the chance to hide any more, but was instead going on the attack rather than the defence.

Instead, the only thing that Virgil could see was his father. Shaking, a hand snuck across the floor until he was able to grip his father's wrist in his hand, feeling the steady throb of his pulse under his fingers. It was quick and frantic, but real. His father was really there… He could see Jeff turning to face him, returning the grip with the other hand and was even aware that the man's mouth was moving, but he couldn't make out the words. His hearing was muted as his eyes flickered slightly and he could see his father's look turning into one of fear. But that couldn't be right, his dad never showed fear - that was even rarer than Scott showing it. He must be dreaming, this must all be happening in his head when in reality he was still locked in the room. Maybe even Scott being there was part of the dream too, his mind trying to play tricks on him rather than anything real.

His hearing might not have been working properly, but the silence that fell as the guns stopped was almost deafening. Officers piled around the corner, but Virgil wasn't aware of Cowlishaw being pulled roughly out, his hands firmly cuffed behind him and four men holding onto him to make sure that he couldn't try anything else. He could feel his father's hands cupping his face, forcing him to look upwards, his mouth moving as he tried to say something to his son.

"Scott…" Even Virgil's own voice was muffled to himself as he pulled free of his father's hold and jumped to his feet. In a daze, he stumbled down the corridor, back towards the room, but only made it a few steps before his legs gave out and he simply dropped where he was. Instantly, his dad's arms were around him, holding him close. Even a few weeks ago, he would have pushed him away, gone to Scott or John rather than letting his father be the one to hold him, but right now, he practically collapsed into the embrace. One hand found Jeff's shirt and his hand scrunched into a fist, holding on tightly to the fabric as if someone was going to tear him away again in the same way that Cowlishaw had taken him from Scott. People were moving past them and a shout went up when they found the room and the two boys still inside.

Virgil could only cling to his father, watching with wide eyes as even more people ran past, people that seemed to be dressed in brightly coloured clothes. He had no concept of time, meaning that he had no idea that the paramedics had arrived on the scene. Someone crouched down beside him, but Virgil simply screamed, clinging on tighter to his father. Luckily, whoever it was seemed to get the message and backed away, leaving Jeff to run a hand soothingly up and down his son's back as he tried to reassure him, tried to get the message across that Virgil was safe now, that nothing else was going to happen, that it was over.

Oscar was the first to be carried out, wrapped firmly in a blanket. His face almost mirrored Virgil's, his eyes wide with shock and his face expressionless as the people whisked him up towards the hotel. Virgil managed to get his own vision to focus long enough to watch the boy go, wondering in the back of his mind where Swinger was and why he wasn't here to find his son the way that his father had found him. Even as the thought crossed his mind, his hand instinctively clenched as he gripped on even tighter. He didn't want to look, but knew that he had to see as Scott was also brought out.

Someone had managed to get the handcuffs off him and free him from the bar. The paramedics clearly hadn't wanted to wait and had removed his shirt, making the angry splashes of colour from Cowlishaw's beating even more obvious. Scott had clearly been adamant that he was fit enough to walk and he came stumbling out from the room unsupported, emotions flickering across his face faster than Virgil's numb mind could comprehend when he saw that his brother was safe. Virgil, however, could only see that the original piece of material Cowlishaw had used to gag him was still resting around Scott's neck.

He had no idea how he managed to jump to his feet and hurry forward. His actions were certainly too quick for his father to stop him, and he reached Scott before anyone got in his way. Reaching up, he tugged anxiously on the scrap of material, finding that he was almost desperate to get it off. Scott didn't say anything, but simply reached up, his hands closing around Virgil's and gently drawing his brother away again. It did nothing to help, however, for it only gave Virgil a clear view of where Scott's wrists were bloody and raw, and sounds of distress began falling from his lips again.

That in turn began to work Scott up, and the paramedics took control of the situation once again. Practically forcing a blanket around Scott, they led him away, their hands firm but gentle in a way that indicated the oldest brother was not getting a choice in the matter. Another made to approach Virgil, but he backed away, shaking his head furiously. Only to back into another figure…

Virgil turned too fast in his panic, and only just about had time to register that it was his father's hand resting on his shoulder and his dad's face that was peering at him in alarm, concern burning brightly in his eyes. But then the whole corridor swam before his eyes and Virgil was falling before he even knew what was going on. As the shock finally caught up with him and the darkness tugged gently, pulling him under, the only thing that Virgil was aware of was that it was his dad's arms that were catching him and keeping him safe from harm once again.

But even as Jeff lowered them both to the floor, his middle child cradled in his arms, Virgil completely lost consciousness as the events of the last week caught up with him.


	29. Chapter 29

**As I'm not sure _someone_ would have let me go to bed until this is up, here we are! Enjoy (especially you, Sam!)**

John rested his elbows on the railings of the balcony, staring out into the distance with unseeing eyes. He had been quiet and withdrawn ever since he was returned to the others,unable to meet anyone's gaze when they realised that Scott was no longer with him. Nick had informed his grandmother as soon as he knocked on the door, John not uttering a single word, and her face had immediately turned pale as she had pulled Alan onto her lap almost as a way of making sure that the other boys were still there. John wished that someone would be angry with him for the way that he and Scott had wandered off, that someone would tell him that they had been stupid and reckless. Even now, a day later, no one was yelling at him, despite the fact that John was expecting it.

But no one did. No one seemed to blame him for the fact that another brother had been taken, despite the way that John was blaming himself. He should have stopped Scott from leading them into the conference room; he had _known_ that it had been a bad idea. But the desperation that the oldest brother had been feeling in regards to finding Virgil had echoed in the younger, and John hadn't wanted to just sit there and wait for someone to deliver the news that they had been too late, that Virgil was never going to come home.

Sighing, John let his eyes drop until he was just staring at the railing, not able to focus his mind on anything. Now they would be lucky if Virgil or Scott ever made it home. He had picked up enough to know that whilst the police believed him about Cowlishaw, they hadn't found any evidence and certainly hadn't gotten any closer to finding out where his brothers were being held. John knew that there would be nothing he could do to help this time, he was just a child playing an adult's game and it had got Scott hurt.

Even as he stood there, the cool air blowing a breeze through his hair, the young teenager could still see the image of Scott falling to the floor, Cowlishaw's feet entering his limited vision and then Scott vanishing again. Shuddering, John drew in a shaky breath, trying to make himself think of something other than the moment when his brother had been kidnapped and he had simply hidden under a table like a child. Scott might have told him to stay hidden so that he could inform their father, but John was now certain that he should have done something more. After all, he knew that his big brother could be a decent fighter given the chance. Cowlishaw wouldn't have been able to take him if he'd had to go against both brothers, would he? His hand gripping the railing, John tried to ignore the tears stinging his eyes. He should have _done_ something...

"Johnny?"

Glancing down, John saw that Alan had come out to join him, although he was more than aware of his grandmother watching them closely from the room. Alan let one hand rest against John's hip, not able to reach any higher in comfort, and leant against his big brother.

"Scotty'll come home, you'll see. He'll bring Virg too…" There was such a simple belief in Alan's voice, the hope that everything could still be made better just because he wanted it to happen, that John couldn't answer. Instead, he bit his lip as he turned his head back to face the horizon, not wanting his youngest brother to see him cry.

"Come along, Alan dear, it's bath time." Grandma might have been watching to make sure that the five-year-old was safe out on the balcony, but she knew all of her grandsons well. She knew precisely what John's body language meant and walked slowly out, holding her hand out to Alan. The youngest hesitated for a moment, looking up to John with big eyes before seeming to realise that his brother wasn't in the mood, then latched onto his grandmother's hand. She drew him in and gave him a soft nudge towards the door.

"Go on…"

Alan scampered in, pausing only momentarily at the doorway before disappearing into the room. Grandma let her hand rest in between John's shoulder blades.

"It wasn't your fault, sweetheart."

John shrugged off her touch, not wanting the reassurance. It didn't matter what anyone said, he had simply hidden and watched Scott get taken, not even being able to claim that he had seen the man who had done it. He had been able to offer his father no evidence apart from a laptop that he shouldn't have been on. Why was no one else blaming him? They should have been.

Grandma paused for a long moment, before sighing and turning back inside. When John didn't want any comfort, it was almost impossible to give it to him.

For his part, John just returned his gaze to the distance. Or rather, he attempted to, but found that a commotion down below was drawing his eyes. Leaning over, he tried to make out what was going on, but the angle wasn't quite right. He could see some lights flashing if he craned his head a certain way, and found that his heart was pounding fast as he realised that they were ambulances. He was also sure that he could make out people running about everywhere, but his mind had already come to a conclusion about what was going on. They had found something.

Turning back towards the doors, it didn't take long for John to find who he was looking for.

"Gordon?"

The second-youngest brother was by his side in a flash. For one thing, Gordon hated being kept in one room, and since Scott's disappearance, he hadn't been given the chance to get out again. For another, the redhead seemed to have picked up on something in John's voice and realised that something was going on.

"What?"

"Can you see?" John gestured down below, and Gordon immediately grinned, scrambling up onto the railings. It gave him a little more height than John had been able to get, yet that didn't stop the older brother from resting his hands on Gordon's waist as the child leaned out precariously far. John just hoped that his grandmother didn't take this moment to look back outside.

"Three…four… Four ambulances! Loads of police cars and everyone seems to be running around. Ooh, look, they're bringing someone out, don't know who though, can't see… something is going on down there…"

John hauled Gordon back as the child tried to lean out further, but they both exchanged wide-eyed looks.

"They've found them, it must be," John whispered, his gaze flickering to Gordon and back down to the ground. No sooner had he said the words when Gordon started moving. He barely even glanced back at John as he entered the room, heading for the door on the other side. John glanced down at the ground one last time before following his brother. Grandma definitely had Alan in the bathroom, for no one stopped them as Gordon pulled open the main door, running out into the corridor beyond, only to squeak in surprise.

There might have been no one to stop them leaving the room, but there was someone to stop them from getting any further than that. By the time that John remembered the security guard who had been ordered to watch them and make sure nothing else happened, a heavy hand had landed on his shoulder and Gordon's upper arm was being held in the man's other hand.

"You're not going anywhere, boys." The man had a friendly voice and kind eyes, but that didn't stop John from glaring at him as the guard guided them back to the room. Grandma must have heard the door opening when they had left, for by the time they were pushed back inside, she had appeared, a wet-haired Alan following behind her and clutching onto her dress with one hand.

"Again?" Grandma sighed when she caught sight of her grandsons being escorted back, and with one pointed look, motioned for them to sit on the edge of John's bed. Both boys did, for going against Grandma was not something to be taken lightly. John, however, wasn't going to just sit there.

"Something is happening downstairs, Grandma, we can see it. What if they have found them? We don't want to be just sitting up here…"

"John, be quiet. What have we told you about wandering off on your own? Besides, young Nick swore that he would come and get us as soon as they knew something."

"But I saw them too, Grandma!" Gordon joined in, clearly having believed what John had been saying about their brothers being found. Grandma sighed. It was one thing disciplining the boys on the best of days, but with two of their brothers missing, she couldn't blame them for wanting to do something. It was only the fact that the younger ones needed her to be there the whole time that had stopped Grandma from joining in the searches herself. It might not have showed in the same way as the boys, but Grandma was just as worried about the fate of her grandsons. It meant that she couldn't just ignore their words, not when she wanted them to be true herself.

"Have you heard anything, my good man?" She turned to the guard as she spoke and he shook his head.

"No, Ma'am."

"Please just check," John implored, knowing that the man had contact with all the officers downstairs and could find out what was going on with just a click of a button. The man seemed to hesitate – he had already been in trouble for letting Scott and John slip past him – but glanced towards Grandma in indecision. Before she could say anything, Jack came bursting into the room.

"They're talking hidden tunnels and secret rooms!" he exclaimed loudly, then seemed to sense the atmosphere of the room and swallowed, dropping his gaze slightly. John glanced pleadingly at the guard and he sighed, giving in and stepping out into the corridor. The occupants of the room were silent as they listened to the low murmur of voices. John knew how desperate his grandmother must be to believe what they had been saying, for she made no comment about them walking off again, but was listening just as hard. After what seemed like an age, the guard stepped back into the room.

"Well, you might be onto something there. They have found them, but I think you should..." The end of his sentence was lost as Gordon leapt up and all but ran from the room, John on his heels. But their grandmother didn't try and stop them this time, only hurried after them, Alan clinging onto her hand. They had just made it into the corridor when Jack stopped them, hoisting Alan onto his back and allowing them all to travel at the speed that John had set. The guard simply blinked as he looked around the now empty room. One thing was for sure, he was going to be glad when he no longer had the responsibility of looking out for the Tracy family. They were all as bad as each other.

It only took John a matter of steps before he had overtaken Gordon, but the blond made sure not to pull too far ahead. Despite knowing that the place was crawling with police and that his father was just down the stairs, John felt a flutter of nerves shoot through his stomach. The last time that he had been down there, Scott had been taken.

"Come on, Johnny!" Gordon cried, pulling level with his big brother again but not understanding why the older boy had slowed. John glanced at the look on Gordon's face, then looked behind him to see Grandma, Jack and Alan directly behind. It was going to be okay, he wasn't alone and nothing was going to happen. That didn't stop him from reaching out and snagging the back of Gordon's collar to stop the younger boy from running too far ahead. The last thing he wanted was to lose sight of Gordon, but John found that even that thought was pushed from his mind as the scene below was revealed.

If they had thought that it looked to be chaos outside the hotel, it was nothing compared to what was going on down in the lobby. One corridor was taped off and even though John found that his eyes were automatically drawn to it, other things were stealing his attention. Police, staff, a couple of paramedics and a few onlookers were crowding the area, but even as John watched, the police shooed the last few nosy guests away. Flinn saw them hovering half way up the stairs and nodded, his simple gesture indicating that it was okay for them to approach. He had handed Cowlishaw over to some of the other officers in order to take him downtown. Much as he wanted to be the one to process the man's arrest, he also wanted to stay around and make sure that everything ran smoothly now. Grandma had to lead the way this time, but as soon as they reached the bottom of the stairs, Jack unwrapped Alan's arms from around his neck and lowered the child to the floor. Handing him back over to his grandmother, the young man set off for the far side of the lobby where a man dressed in a smart suit was sitting on a small chair, his face pale. It only took one glance for John to know that he must be Jack's father, the resemblance was uncanny.

As he turned his eyes from father and son, he found that his gaze was drawn by his own father. Jeff was practically sitting against the wall, a paramedic bent over him. As the man moved back a step, John gasped when he realised that there was another figure in Jeff's arms. Wrapped up in a bright blanket, his eyes closed and his head resting against Jeff's shoulder was…

"Virgil…" John whispered, feeling tears prick at his eyes even as he made to take a step forward. It had felt like an entire lifetime since he had last seen his little brother. Grandma turned at his words, a gasp escaping her. Nodding to one of the policeman that they had had dealings with before, she asked if he could look after Gordon and Alan – clearly not wanting them to go too close until she knew what state Virgil was in - and hurried over without so much as a backwards glance.

John couldn't help but realise that she hadn't included him in those instructions and found that he was taking a step after her, swallowing hard as his eyes remained locked on the still form of his younger brother. What if something was seriously wrong with Virgil? What if… No, his father wouldn't be just holding him like that if Virgil was seriously hurt, he would have let the paramedics take over. But still, fear was gripping at John, something not helped by the shocked look on his father's face. Virgil looked to be at least unconscious and Scott was nowhere to be seen. John knew that he wouldn't be able to even begin to feel relieved until he knew that _both_ of his brothers were out and safe.

Telling himself that Jeff knew what was the best thing to do for Virgil, John managed to take a more definite step forward. But before he could take another, a commotion off to one side drew his attention. Letting his head swivel around, a rush of relief exploded from him in a huge breath and a smile spread across his face.

Scott.

Both of them were free! They were out and safe, and John almost staggered as the weight of those emotions crashed over him. To say that it was a feeling of relief didn't even cover it, yet John couldn't think of another word strong enough to explain what was going through his mind right now. Changing direction, he ducked through the people milling around and made a beeline for Scott. When he drew a little closer, he couldn't help but stop, a small gasp escaping him.

His brother was sitting on one of the beds from the ambulance. Well, the paramedics were attempting to get him to sit there, but Scott was trying everything he could to get back off again. Whilst that should have told John that his brother was okay, the only thing the teenager was seeing were the bruises scattered around Scott's body. Both of his wrists had been bandaged and there were a few small cuts elsewhere that had been bound. But there were enough marks left open that told John that someone had attacked Scott. Cowlishaw might have punched his brother in the first place, but there was no way that it had caused that amount of damage. This had happened afterwards, and John couldn't stop another rush of guilt from going through him. He should have done something…

Before he could lose the courage to go and face his brother properly, Scott saw him.

"John!" There was almost the same amount of relief in Scott's voice that John had been feeling, and wondering why, he had no choice but to go over. One of the paramedics took Scott's distraction as a chance to force him back into lying down, and this time, Scott stayed put as John stepped up to the bed.

"Thank god… The things that he threatened to do to you…" Scott breathed, sounding so genuinely relieved that John let out a shaky laugh.

"Do to me? You're the one he took, and by the look of it, beat up," he cried, tears in his eyes as he stared down at Scott. The paramedic tried to shine a light into Scott's eyes, but the fifteen-year-old batted his hand away, propping himself up again.

"You haven't been blaming yourself, have you?"

John glanced away and Scott huffed. "You idiot, John! I needed you safe to tell Dad, they would have never have found us otherwise!"

"He still took you."

Scott might have been able to fool the younger ones that everything was fine, but he didn't fool John. The thirteen year old could see straight past the smile and the light-hearted note in Scott's voice – his brother was scared. And judging by the way that he flinched at John's words, the feeling was too strong for him to be able to hide it. John didn't say anything though, he knew that Scott would admit it when he was ready and not before.

"Where's Virgil? They won't let me see him. I have to get to him. He had a gun, he took him, I couldn't stop him…" Scott made another attempt to get up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed as he did so. The distress in his voice was enough for John to know that his brother was far from fine, whether he was going to say it or not.

"Just stay still, Scott, it's fine…" The paramedic attempting to get a look at Scott was clearly trying to sound reassuring, but it came across as nothing short of exasperation. Scott completely ignored him and tried again to get up, and his younger brother knew that he was going to have to do something. John glanced over to where he could just about make out his father and brother on the other side of the room and moved to the head of the trolley that Scott was on, swinging it around until his brother could also see them. But rather than offering some sort of reassurance to Scott, it instead had the opposite effect.

"Virgil!" All the teenager was seeing was his unconscious brother, and the paramedic wasn't quick enough as Scott sprang off the bed. He moved too quickly, however, and whilst he was waiting for the dizziness to pass, he was forced back down again.

"No! No, I have to get to him, he needs me… Virgil!"

Beckoning over another paramedic, it took two of them to attempt to hold Scott down. John backed away from the bed, the tears that had been swimming in his eyes now beginning to roll down his cheeks at Scott's panic. He had thought that Scott would hide how he was feeling, but it was more than apparent that his brother's distress was too great to pretend it wasn't there. He could hear the paramedics muttering under their breath, even going so far as mentioning sedation as Scott continued to fight against them.

"That is quite enough of that, Scott Tracy!"

John blinked in surprise and Scott fell still as Grandma stepped up to the bed. Both the paramedics seemed to take a step backwards as she smoothed his hair back from his forehead, her hand resting lightly on his shoulder. She didn't need to hold him down though, for he had fallen still at her arrival.

"Virg?" he whispered, his voice seeming to tremble.

"Is quite alright. He is with your father. I heard that you practically ordered him away to make sure that he stayed with Virgil."

John felt his eyebrows rise as Scott blushed slightly.

"Virg… he tried so hard to believe that Dad would be coming for us, but…He needs to be with Dad, he needs Dad more than I do…"

"Now I don't believe that is true for an instant," Grandma said lightly, even if her eyes were burning with concern. "You each need him as much as the other. But right now, I'm more worried about why you aren't letting these good people do their job?"

John found himself smiling slightly this time as Scott purposefully avoided eye contact. Scott shifted slightly but finally managed to meet their grandmother's gaze.

"I was worried about Virgil."

"Who would be just as worried about you if he heard that you were refusing to be treated. Now you just lie there, there's a good boy."

The paramedics seemed to take that as their cue and moved back in towards Scott. This time, he didn't try and fight them off, but just lay still as they began to fuss.

"John? Your father wants to see you."

John nodded, giving Scott one last long look before sidling away. If it had been any other situation, he would have been glad that he was considered old enough to be down there whereas Gordon and Alan were both being held back, but he found that he was too nervous about what he was about to witness. It had been unnerving enough listening to Scott sound like that, but John wasn't sure if he could take it if his father sounded vulnerable as well.

It seemed to take an age to cross the lobby to where his father was still sitting against the wall, but John found that he was hanging back as soon as he saw Virgil. From across the room, it could look as though Virgil was just resting or even asleep, but when John got closer, it was more than obvious that Virgil was unconscious. Swallowing hard, John wondered whether he could back away and approach again when he had had the chance to pull himself together, but his father looked up at that moment.

"John? It's okay, son, everything is okay. Come on, come here…"

His legs feeling like lead, John did as he was told and finally approached, dropping to his knees next to them. He shakily reached out a hand towards Virgil, but snatched it back at the last moment.

"He's so pale," he whispered, unable to tear his eyes away from his brother. Scott's words about Cowlishaw having a gun and taking Virgil swam in his mind and he found himself checking his little brother for injuries. Well, what he could see of the younger boy, for the majority of Virgil was swamped in the large blanket.

"He's just not well, John. The paramedics say that he will be fine, he just needs some sleep and some fluids."

"And the rest," John muttered, not taken in by his father's reassuring words in the slightest. Scott had been missing for a fraction of the time that Virgil had, and was clearly struggling. Who knew what Virgil was going to be like when he woke up? Jeff sighed, glancing down at his son before looking back at John.

"How you holding up, kiddo?"

"Scott's having a breakdown and Virg is unconscious, how do you think?" John didn't mean to snap and immediately flushed as soon as the words left his mouth. "I'm sorry, I…"

"It's okay, John." Jeff awkwardly moved around and let his hand squeeze the back of John's neck reassuringly. "Everything is going to be okay."

"Mr Tracy, we really need to take him now." Another set of paramedics had approached and Jeff nodded, somehow climbing to his feet with Virgil still in his arms. He glanced across the room and caught his mother's eye. Somehow, without words, they managed to agree that Jeff would go with Virgil and Grandma would stay with Scott, meeting up again once they had got to the hospital. Oscar had already been taken since Swinger had just ordered the boy to stay quiet and submit to the examination. Little did the man know that Flinn had seen the exchange and put in some calls. The person that John and Gordon had seen being taken into the ambulance was Nick, the young man being the one to receive the bullet to the leg. It was why no one had come up to inform the Tracys, he had been the one who said that he would. Now so many people had been taken, the lobby was finally beginning to empty out a little.

"What about us?" John asked, his voice small and young. He knew that they wouldn't all be allowed to ride in the ambulances, and Jeff bit his lip, clearly not wanting to leave them there.

"I can take them."

Both Tracys jumped as another voice entered the conversation. Jack joined them, clearly having heard the latest exchange of words. "I've got Dad's car. He owes me… owes me a lot more than a half-hearted attempt at an explanation, that's for sure. But I can fit the other three in if you want, Sir?" Jeff looked relieved as the solution was revealed, but he didn't answer until he had turned to John.

"Is that going to be okay with you, John?" he asked softly, and his second oldest nodded, knowing that there was no choice in the matter.

"Just don't leave Virg," he mumbled, turning away to get the other two. He had heard Scott's words about Virgil's fear and the shaky relationship between his brother and father was still clear in his mind. Jeff made to say something, but instead just dropped his eyes and nodded.

"I promise. Oh, and John? He truly is going to be fine, you have my word," he said simply, before allowing the paramedics to help him outside and into the back of a waiting ambulance. John watched him go, but felt a small smile slip onto his face. It had been a long time since his father had given him his word on anything, and because of that, John knew that he was telling the truth.

Both Virgil and Scott were going to be okay. It was just a matter of how long that would take.


	30. Chapter 30

**Sorry for the delay there, real life got in the way a little bit. Hope you like it!**

Jeff didn't let go of Virgil the whole way to the hospital, painfully aware of just how still the child was. Virgil had always been the stillest sleeper out of his sons, but this just wasn't right. The paramedics had initially tried to prise the frantic father away, but then seemed to realise that Virgil was in no immediate danger and a few moments of being able to just hold his son would do Jeff far more good than if he was forced to let go. There would be no choice in the matter once they reached the hospital, so they decided to allow Jeff to make the most of it whilst he could.

The father couldn't say what was going through his head as he held Virgil close, it was as if someone had wiped his mind. All he could focus on was the fact that his son was in his arms and if he strained his ears hard enough, he could make out the sound of the other ambulance following behind, reassuring him that Scott was safe as well. He wasn't sure how he was supposed to react, what he was supposed to be thinking, so instead just used the time to hold Virgil. He, too, realised that once they reached the hospital, he would have to let go in order for them to treat his son. But for one selfish moment, he just held on tight to his boy.

Sure enough, the ambulance had barely made it to a stop before the doors were being opened. Jeff found himself blinking in the change of light, and someone took advantage of his distraction to take Virgil. For a split second, Jeff panicked, but upon taking a deep breath and forcing himself to calm down, he knew that he had to stand back and let them take care of his son. Virgil was whisked into the building, the paramedics talking the doctor through the notes even as Jeff hurried along behind them, trying to make sense of what was being said.

An hour later, it was revealed to him. Severe dehydration and the beginnings of malnutrition caused them to hook Virgil up to a drip. When he began to stir, they pushed a light sedative into the mix as well, claiming that if they could let his body catch up on the rest that it so desperately needed, he would feel a lot better when he came to. His fluid levels would be replenished and some of his strength would have returned. Jeff had just numbly nodded, trusting that they knew what was best for his son whilst trying to stop his attention from wavering too much and wondering what was happening in the room next door as well.

He had seen Scott being brought in when one of the nurses had been telling him something about a fracture in Virgil's wrist, something that had become aggravated through the lack of support over the last few days. Not to mention the rough treatment every time Cowlishaw had bound them. Again, it was apparently nothing too serious, and if he could keep it immobilised for a day or so, it would allow his hand to regain full mobility. Upon hearing about a physical injury rather than just the effects of being held hostage for so many days, Jeff had to forcibly calm himself down again to stop the anger getting the better of him.

Knowing that his mother was with Scott had been enough for Jeff to stay by Virgil's side. He felt like Scott had already made that choice for him. When they had emerged from the tunnel, he had immediately gone to see his oldest child, concern burning brightly within him, especially after what Virgil had said about him being hurt badly. He had left the younger with the paramedics, knowing that Virgil wasn't going to be stirring any time soon as his body gave into the shock of what had happened. He had no intention of leaving him for any length of time, but Scott had almost gone pale when he saw his father approaching him. Considering the state he looked to be in, Jeff had been surprised at how furiously Scott had been fighting, but he would never forget the way his son yelled at him. It was as if Scott wanted nothing to do with him, telling him that he had to get back to Virgil, he had to be there. According to Scott, if Virgil so much as blinked without Jeff being there, it would be the end of everything. After the paramedic had told him that none of Scott's obvious injuries were bad, that he was in just as much shock as his younger brother and that it was clearly distressing him that Jeff wasn't with Virgil, Jeff had retreated.

Both he and his mother had popped outside the rooms at the same time, swapping reports about what was happening with the boys. Scott had a hairline fracture on one of his wrists and both were still bandaged from where the cuffs had dug into him as he had fought to get himself free. They were monitoring him closely after he had finally admitted that not only had Cowlishaw knocked him out in the first place, he had also almost lost consciousness when Cowlishaw had attacked him after realising that he had been telling the truth about John going for help. The rest of the boys had arrived, but Jack had been sensible enough to take them to get something to eat first, letting the doctors' finish examining the brothers. Now Jeff knew the full picture, he was sure that he would be able to answer the barrage of questions that were about to come his way. John especially seemed adept at picking up what his father _wasn't_ saying, so Jeff wanted to make sure that there were no loopholes that would be able to get another son worked up.

He had no idea what was happening with Cowlishaw right now, but trusted Flinn enough to know that the man would make sure that the journalist had everything they could pin on him and more. Considering Harris' statement, not to mention the fact that they had literally caught the man red-handed, threatening a ten-year-old with a firearm no less, Jeff knew that there was no way that Cowlishaw would be able to work his way out of it. Not to mention that Nick being shot meant every single member of the police department who had worked on this case wanted a piece of him; the young man was well liked.

Sighing, Jeff looked up from where his head had been resting in his hands at the end of Virgil's bed. The child looked so young and vulnerable lying there, one arm splinted and the drip providing him with everything that he so desperately needed. Jeff reached forward, his hand adjusting the blanket slightly, only to blink in surprise as Virgil's head tossed to the side, a small moan of distress leaving his lips.

Within seconds, Jeff was at the head of the bed.

"Virg?" One hand reached forward and he gently brushed Virgil's hair back from his forehead, frowning as he felt that his son seemed to have a slight temperature. No sooner had he registered the thought when the nurse walked back into the room. In one glance, she seemed to realise what was happening and sighed, shaking her head.

"Not yet you don't, sweetie," she muttered, moving Jeff out of the way and taking Virgil's temperature for herself.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"Nothing to worry about, Sir, just a mild temperature. His body reacting to the stress, no doubt. I'm going to give him some mild antibiotics, just to be on the safe side. It's also too soon for him to be waking up. It seems that his body has grown used to being on edge and wants him to wake in order to show that he is safe. I'm going to give him another light sedative. If you wanted to check on your other son, he won't stir for another hour, you have my word."

Jeff could only watch numbly as she pushed something into Virgil's line, straightened the covers around him and left the room, her posture never slipping from anything other than professional. Jeff sighed, sagging back in the chair before her words about going to see Scott registered. Would the older teenager want to see him? Would he be satisfied that Virgil truly would have no idea that he was on his own? In a way, Jeff knew that he had to risk it. He would just have to remind Scott who the father was, but he hoped that it wouldn't come to that. Scott had been wired and full of adrenaline when he had first been found. With any luck, he would have calmed down a little and therefore would let his father satisfy himself that his first-born was indeed going to be okay. Brushing his hand through Virgil's hair one last time, Jeff stood up.

If there was something that had always scared him about his mother, it was her timing. No sooner had he taken one step towards the door when it opened from the other side and she walked in.

"I saw the nurse leaving, is everything okay?" She barely even glanced at Jeff as she approached, heading straight for the bed and folding the covers over Virgil in a completely different way to how the nurse had done. Jeff smiled softly before nodding.

"He's running a temperature, but apparently that is to be expected. He also keeps trying to wake up, so they've given him another shot of the sedative."

"So he is okay?"

"He will be." Until Virgil woke up, Jeff could not say with a clear conscience that his son _was_ okay. Physically, he might be healing, but there would be no telling what was going through the boy's head. He had been missing for days. From what Jeff had managed to pick up from the doctors, there might have been some serious issues if they hadn't been found when they had in regards to malnourishment and dehydration. They had been given something, just not enough. It made Jeff's blood boil every time he thought about it.

"You can go and see Scott then. Off you go…"

"Does he want to see me?" Jeff had allowed himself to be ushered a few steps closer to the door, not seeing the point in resisting. Not only had he been planning to go and see his oldest son anyway, he also knew that trying to resist his mother was not a good idea.

"Yes, he is asking for you."

"Really?" He couldn't hide the astonishment lacing his tone. He knew that Scott had forgiven him – or rather, never quite held the same grudge that his brothers had over his absence – but considering what had come out of his mouth the last time that he was with his father, Jeff certainly hadn't expected to hear that.

"Well, not in so many words," Grandma admitted, avoiding Jeff's gaze as she pulled the chair closer to the bed and settled herself into it comfortably, still fussing with the covers.

"Then how do you know?"

Grandma sighed heavily, finally turning to face her son. There was a look of exasperation in her eyes yet a touch of a smile on her face as she looked at him steadily.

"I know because he is the mirror image of how his father was at that age. I know because he keeps looking towards the door, then looking away again quickly as if hoping I hadn't noticed. I know because I can see the look in his eye – the conflict between believing that you need to be with Virgil, the big brother side of him, and the part that is telling him he is just a teenage boy who has been through something that no one his age should have and he just wants his father. Is that good enough for you, Jefferson, or do I need to explain even more of the reasons why I know that your son wants you?"

Jeff couldn't help but laugh out loud, even if his eyes remained clouded with worry.

"You'll stay here with Virg?"

"Go," she said pointedly, clearly not even bothering to answer his question. He knew that he shouldn't have asked – her position and the look on her face gave away that she had no intention of going anywhere until he got back. Jeff crossed the room, leaning over and kissing Virgil's forehead.

"Thanks, Mom…"

"Just get out of here, would you?"

Unable to stop himself, he pressed a light kiss to her cheek and left the room before she started threatening him with something. Scott was only in the room next door, yet taking those few steps seemed to be the hardest thing that Jeff had ever done. Scott hadn't blamed him for not being there before, he had just taken on the responsibility for himself. Yet now, he clearly did need Jeff to be there, and the father felt an irrational surge of worry that he wouldn't be able to give his son what he wanted. He was hesitating outside of the door, but the second Jeff realised that was what he was doing, he could have kicked himself.

Scott needed him. And once again, his father was hanging back.

Not letting another thought cross his mind, he opened the door with far more force than necessary. Scott had his head facing away from the door, but as soon as he heard it, he jolted, fear entering his eyes for a moment before he realised that it was his father and he visibly relaxed again.

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you," Jeff said gently, keeping his voice soft as he moved closer, pulling around one of the chairs. He span it around and sat down on it backwards, his front pressed against the back of the chair. He tried to make it look as natural as possible, yet was just trying to put Scott at his ease. His son smiled tightly, leaning on one wrist and trying to hoist himself into a better position. Without a word, Jeff held the pillow steady as Scott settled back on it.

"Thanks," the teenager eventually muttered, hands playing with the covers for a moment. "Dad, I'm sorry, I didn't mean what I said…"

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Scott." Jeff was quick to reassure the boy, but Scott refused to relax.

"It's just… he truly believed that you wouldn't be coming, that you wouldn't find them. It was bad enough for me, I couldn't even look after him properly because of being tied to that damn bar. But they'd been in there for days. Oscar said that he hadn't seen Virg sleeping much. He thought that was it, they weren't getting out of that room. I just freaked. He has to know that you are there… he _has_ to."

"Scotty, I need you to calm down for me, son." Jeff spoke softly, but there was a hint of firmness underlying his tone. He knew where Scott was coming from, knew that fear over everything that had been happening would have been enough to make him panic when he had seen his father without Virgil.

"Virg and I… we're going to make it up, we're going to be just fine. And he is going to know that I'll be with him every step of the way from now on, I swear to you that I will make it up to him. But he's not the only one that I need to be there for, son."

For a moment, Jeff thought that Scott was going to protest, that he was going to make some comment claiming that he was fine. But even as he opened his mouth, the words seemed to die in his throat. Scott swallowed hard, shut his mouth again and glanced away.

"I'm here for you as well, Scott. You've put them first for over a year, you don't always have to do that. You are just as entitled to my attention as they are." Jeff knew that this was his moment. If he could prove to his oldest son that things were going to be different, make sure that Scott believed him, not only for his brothers' sakes, but for his own as well, then everything was going to be okay. Scott might have wanted the world to see that he could cope, yet all Jeff could see was his little boy. He knew that Virgil needed their father, therefore in Scott's mind, that always came first.

"How is he?" Scott eventually muttered, clearly going for the change of topic approach rather than carrying on with what they had been saying. Jeff knew what he was doing, but rather than pushing the matter, he instead stored away the fact that this conversation wasn't over and went with whatever it was that Scott wanted to talk about. It came as no surprise that that something was Virgil.

"He's sleeping. They are keeping him asleep for now so his body can gain some of his strength back and he has a fracture in his wrist. But as to how he actually is, that remains to be seen. He's strong, though, stronger than people realise." Jeff reached over and rested his hand over Scott's.

"He's stronger than you realise as well, Scott. Yes, he needs me, but no more than you do." It was the only way that he could think of to bring the conversation back to what they had been talking about. He also got the feeling that unless Scott accepted that Virgil had just as much of a chance of getting through this as he did, then the tension within their household would shoot up. Scott would try and smother Virgil as a way of dealing with things himself, and that was not something that was going to help either of them.

This time, Scott held his eye for a long moment and nodded. "Is John here yet? I need to apologise to him. I think I might have freaked him out back at the hotel."

Jeff smiled gently. John wasn't the only one Scott had worried back there, but the father was glad to see that his son was much calmer. His thoughts about it being the adrenaline and the pain mixed with the relief seemed to have been correct. With anything that was beyond a bruise wrapped up and a dosage of pain killers, Scott was a lot calmer as the truth that they were safe sank in.

"He's just downstairs, they are with Jack. We're trying to figure out how to do this. We don't want you to get overcrowded, but we don't know how the little ones will react to seeing Virgil sedated."

"John and Gordon will be fine. John will understand and Gordon seems to just have a deeper understanding of things than any of us realise. It will only be Alan. Just tell him that Virg is asleep and he, too, will be fine."

Jeff sighed, knowing that this was just another sign of how distant he had been. He had claimed that he still knew his children, but upon hearing that Gordon would be fine, he wondered how much of their growing up he had missed out on.

Despite Scott basically indicating that it was fine for the boys to come and see him, Jeff didn't get in contact just then. He wanted this time with his oldest son, a chance to work out how much Scott was hiding about how he was feeling and how much was the truth. It came as no surprise when every time they even touched upon Cowlishaw, the only way Scott would react was to deflect it back to his concern for Virgil. The father knew that he was going to have to find some way to force Scott to open up, but for now, he was content to let his son guide the conversation. It was still just a huge relief that they were here having this chat in the first place.

The hour was nearly up by the time that Jeff reluctantly stood up. Scott, however, simply yawned, his eyes clearly struggling to stay open. With a fond smile on his face, Jeff leant over and brushed his hand through his son's hair.

"Get some sleep, Scott. Your grandmother is going to come back in, and I'll bring the boys once you've had some rest."

"'Kay…" The simple way that Scott answered showed that he was fighting off sleep and Jeff chuckled lightly. Scott had never been one to admit to being tired. The father leant over, dimming the lights as he did so.

"I'll be back in a bit, I promise," he whispered, and this time, it was only a noise of contentment that left Scott, not even a word. Jeff moved quietly out of the room, returning to Virgil's. Unlike before, he didn't hesitate as he entered the room, and his mother glanced around.

"He's sleeping," Jeff muttered in response to her questioning look and the old lady smiled. It was one of such relief that Jeff was reminded of what she had been through as well. She had had to hold it together for the younger ones, unable to give into her concern the way that he had, and he made a mental note to talk to her later when he knew what was happening with his sons.

"I'll get Jack to bring the boys up once I know what is going on with Virgil. I told Scott that he could see them when he woke up."

"Good idea. I'll leave Virgil to you then." Grandma's hand dropped lightly onto his shoulder and gave it a squeeze as she backed out of the room, and Jeff was suddenly very aware of every noise he could hear in the room, including Virgil's breathing. Before, it had been steady and rhythmic, a sign that he had been in a deep sleep. Now, however, he was beginning to stir slightly, and Jeff found himself sitting forward.

"Virg? Virgil, can you hear me?" He was rewarded with a soft moan, and the father hitched himself onto the bed, wrapping one arm around Virgil's shoulders. He had meant what he had said to Scott, he intended to be there for Virgil every step of the way, and he wanted his son to realise that from the very beginning.

It took a good ten minutes for Virgil to wake .up, his father's voice coaxing him back to consciousness the whole time. Jeff could feel the second that alertness returned to his son, though, for Virgil suddenly stiffened, his breath catching in his throat.

"It's okay, son, you're safe. Everything is going to be just fine. You're safe now, you're in the hospital."

"Dad?" Virgil barely sounded awake, yet Jeff felt his heart clench at the fear still lingering in the boy's voice. The last time he had been conscious, it was in the middle of a shootout. No wonder it was taking more than a few words from his father in order for Virgil to relax.

"You're okay, Virg, you're going to be just fine."

Attempting to reassure the ten-year-old, Jeff certainly didn't expect Virgil to suddenly burst into tears, twisting his head around until he was burying his face in his father's shirt. One hand scrunched up in the material as he held on, and Jeff knew by the way that Virgil's knuckles were turning white that there was no way that he was going to be able to get him to let go. Not that he was going to, however. If Virgil wanted to cling on like his life depended on it, then there was no way that his father was going to be the one to stop him.

"Sorry, so sorry…"

Initially, Jeff couldn't work out what it was that Virgil was saying, but when the words made themselves more known, he felt his eyebrows raise in astonishment.

"What on earth do you have to be sorry for?" He continued to let Virgil hold on, but managed to sit his son up slightly so that he would be able to look him in the eye. That was not what he had expected Virgil to say, and for a long moment, the boy wouldn't meet his eye. When Jeff prompted him – refusing to let this go until he knew what had Virgil worked up, the ten-year-old's voice was so quiet that Jeff could barely hear him.

"I've been horrid to you for the last year. I didn't… I didn't think that I would ever get the chance to say it. I had to make sure, had to make sure that you knew that I was sorry…"

"Virgil, shh." Awkwardly twisting around, Jeff managed to get his hand to rub soothingly across his son's back, trying to calm the boy down. He understood why Virgil felt the pressing need to say it now – there was nothing worse than thinking that you would have all the time in the world to tell someone something and then have that chance snatched from you. It was something that Jeff had learnt the hard way, and it had ultimately cost him so much more than his wife. He was just glad that he still had the chance to make it up to his children. But what he couldn't understand why was why Virgil felt the need to say it in the first place; it was Jeff who should be apologising.

He tried to explain that to the tearful boy, but how much actually got through to Virgil, he had no idea as the tears continued to fall. Eventually, he just held his son close, hoping that his actions would speak louder than his words. After a considerable amount of time, the tears turned into sniffs, and then they too ceased as Virgil sagged back against his father, falling asleep again. Blinking, Jeff was surprised to find that he had tears of his own swimming in his eyes.

"I love you," he whispered, kissing Virgil's hair and navigating them both into a more comfortable position. The nurse came back in, but kept quiet when she saw the position of father and son, instead just jotting down a few notes and leaving again without a word, only pausing to dim the lights the way that Jeff had for Scott. For his part, Jeff just held his son close as he slept, relishing in the fact that he had his boy back and was able to do so.


	31. Chapter 31

**Thank you so much once again for the gorgeous reviews, it really means the world.**

**Have a wonderful Christmas!**

Jeff sighed as he looked around the room, taking in the sight of his three youngest sons. Alan was curled up on one of the chairs, his father's jacket resting over him as the five-year-old slept on. Gordon was asleep in another chair, but his upper body was cushioned on the bed. His folded arms supported his head, but he couldn't have got any closer to Virgil unless he'd left the chair completely. Virgil himself was also asleep, and Jeff found himself leaning forward at the frown on his middle son's face.

"Shh…" he soothed gently, running his hand through Virgil's hair and smiling when the boy leant into the contact, the frown disappearing again as his dreams settled. Unable to stop himself, Jeff let his hand linger there for a moment longer before sitting back, not wanting to wake the child. Jeff wasn't sure how much his son had believed his father when Jeff had claimed that nothing was Virgil's fault, that he was the one to blame and things would change from now on, but there had been a contented smile on Virgil's face by the time they were done. Yet Jeff knew that reassurance had only lasted for a few moments, for the haunted look made a swift reappearance once silence had fallen. The father didn't know what to do other than reassure Virgil that he was safe and hold him tightly.

The other boys turning up had done him wonders. John had only stayed for a short time before disappearing off to Scott and his grandmother, but the younger two had talked for hours. Jeff could see that Virgil wasn't listening properly, but instead forcing himself to smile in all of the right places whilst his eyes became more and more shadowed. Alan had fallen asleep first, and eventually even Gordon had run out of things to talk about. Once the redhead, too, had drifted off into dreams, Virgil's pretence had vanished. Jeff had honestly thought that his son was about to have a panic attack before he had managed to calm him down and get him off to sleep. It told Jeff more than he needed to know, however. Even with a distraction, Virgil was clearly still far too distressed to even pretend to act normally in front of his father, and Jeff made a mental note to talk to one of the doctors in regards to finding someone that both of his sons could talk to.

Grandma had turned back up at that point, and for a wild moment, Jeff had panicked, thinking something had happened to Scott. Or John. Or both of them. But his mother had been quick to reassure him, claiming that the older two had asked to have some time on their own. Jeff didn't like them being alone without either him or their grandmother around and had made that point more than clear, eventually standing up to go to the boys as it was clear that his mother wasn't going to go. Grandma had stopped him, however, and after a very long and very overdue conversation, he was feeling more at ease than he had done for a long time in regards to his oldest two sons.

Even though Jeff had made a mental note to talk to his mother about what she had been feeling whilst Virgil was missing, that ended up being only a fraction of the conversation that had taken place. Whilst he knew that he hadn't been there for the boys, Jeff hadn't quite comprehended what changes that action had forced Scott, and to a certain extent, John to go through. His oldest child had certainly grown up, shouldering a responsibility that men double his age struggled to maintain. But John was also known to act far older than his years in a way that he had never done before. It was for that reason that Grandma had managed to persuade Jeff to let them have this time on their own, to prove that he trusted them. Not to mention if it meant that Scott felt secure enough to be alone with his brother rather than wanting the security of an adult with him, that was not something that Jeff should risk jeopardising.

Realising that none of the younger three were going to be stirring any time soon, the father stood up, Grandma looking at him in surprise.

"You better not be going to get another coffee, Jeff, you've had six in the last two hours."

Jeff had to chuckle at the suspicion in her voice. He might have lost touch with his sons over the last year, but Grandma had done exactly the same thanks to Jeff burying himself away in his work. He knew that in her own way, she was enjoying being able to tell him 'no' again as if he was no older than Virgil. This time, however, she had it wrong.

"I'm going to see Swinger."

"Now why would you want to see that horrible man?"

"I'm going to see his son. Virgil, he…" Jeff sighed as he glanced back towards the sleeping ten-year-old once again. It had come as something of a surprise when the boy had begged him tearfully to go and make sure that Oscar was alright. The last Jeff had seen, the two boys had hated each other, but he supposed that days of imprisonment did do something to alter a relationship. He had felt something of an irrational surge of pride, stronger than anything he thought possible, when Virgil admitted that he had promised Oscar that Jeff would get them both out and so that was why his father had to go and see him, to prove that Virgil had stayed by his promise. Jeff just knew that this was only one of the things that Virgil had done to try and offer the other boy a small amount of comfort, and because of that, he had sworn that he would go to Oscar the first chance that he got. He didn't know whether the boy would be asleep or not, it was still very early evening but sheer emotion had worn out his own sons. Either way, he could try, knowing that his mother was here and Virgil wouldn't be waking up to find that his father had just left.

"Virgil made me promise to check on Oscar. It's so hard to leave him when he is awake, so I thought that I would try and do it now instead." In a way, he felt guilty. He couldn't even bring himself to go and check on another child if it meant leaving his own son, but given the circumstances, he was sure that his mother would let him off just this once. At hearing the real reason why he wanted to go and find Swinger, a look of pride that he hadn't seen for a very long time entered her eyes and she nodded softly.

"Off you go then."

Jeff shook his head fondly at the clear dismissal, gave his sons one last glance and left the room. Hospitals always seemed to be a maze to him, and this time was no different. How people knew where they were going when every corridor looked the same, he had no idea. It was almost unnerving being back in a hospital again, and it took every ounce of Jeff's self-control to push away the memories of the last time he had been in one aside and stop them from overwhelming him. Thankfully, because he had no idea where the Swingers were, it was taking every thought to try and locate them rather than letting the other thoughts plague his mind.

Eventually, however, he did find the room. The door was shut and the blind closed across the small window. Jeff swallowed hard, not being sure whether he should be doing this or not. After all, if the positions were reversed, there was no way he would want Swinger turning up in Virgil's room. Or Scott's for that matter. But he couldn't get Virgil's tearful look out of his head, and he knew that even if he just got thrown out again, he would have kept his promise.

Knocking softly, he waited until he heard a grunt of confirmation before opening the door and slipping inside. Almost immediately, he felt his eyes widen in disbelief. Oscar was out of bed. Like Virgil, there was a haunted look in his eye and, as Jeff watched, his hands were trembling. Yet he was up and dressed, a small bag on the bed that he was clearly attempting to put his belongings in.

"Ah, Tracy, just the man I wanted to see."

Jeff slowly turned from the child to the father, realising that he wasn't actually surprised to see Swinger sitting in the corner. He was completely ignoring his boy, but instead flicking through a data pad. "You need to check your profit margins and come back at me with a new figure, they've dropped in the last week. I'm not signing a deal if they continue to…"

"Shut up."

Oscar started in surprise, his hands stilling as Swinger slowly looked up at what once could have been a potential business partner.

"What did you just say to me?"

"I told you to shut up. I came to see how your son was doing, not you. Oscar, should you be up? I'm sure you should still be in bed, you look ready to drop."

"He's fine."

Jeff had done his very best to turn his back on Swinger, but found that he was unable to stop himself from whirling around and glaring at the man. Swinger hadn't even looked up from his data pad.

"Outside." This time, he didn't wait for an answer, but crossed the room and pulled Swinger to his feet. The man let out a loud noise of protest, his face the very definition of outrage as Jeff dragged him across the room.

"Oscar, get back into bed, we won't be a minute," Jeff ordered, his tone one that even despite his absence, his sons knew not to cross. He wasn't sure whether Oscar would react to the fatherly note or not, but as he pushed Swinger outside, he could see Oscar was at least moving. He just hoped that it was in the right direction and he was actually getting into bed.

As soon as he got Swinger outside, Jeff shut the door and rounded on the man.

"What the hell are you playing at?"

"How dare you talk to me like that?"

"And how dare you treat your son like that? Oscar has been through absolute hell. They had to sedate Virgil because his body was so worn out; they've got him on a drip. They should be doing the same for Oscar…"

"They were. He is fine, we are going home."

"He is not fine!" Jeff yelled, barely noticing that more than one person had turned to look at them since they had been out in the open. "It's good that he is trying to put on a brave front, but he has to let it out, he can't hide this. Virgil told me how they'd both reacted to everything. He didn't hide the fact that he was terrified out of his mind, but do you know what else he told me? Oscar thought that he was going to die there because he didn't think that you would be coming for him."

"That's nonsense," Swinger scoffed, clearly making a move to try and go back into the room. Jeff, however, slammed his hand on the door in order to prevent the other man from entering.

"Is it? Virg had to promise that _I_ would come for them in order to give Oscar hope. What kind of father does that make you?"

"One who doesn't mollycoddle my son."

"Oh believe me, that is the last thing that I do to mine," Jeff growled. The last thing that anyone could accuse him of was being too protective of his boys considering he had barely seen them in the last year. "But I know when they need me. I know when they need the chance to just be little boys. He is ten, Swinger. Ten! What the hell makes you think that he is coping with this?"

"He will cope because I have taught him how."

"Rubbish," Jeff scoffed. "You're not doing any better."

"Oh really?" The raising of Swinger's eyebrow in a look of mocking confidence that proved that he thought he couldn't be touched made Jeff's blood boil. Suddenly, Jeff smiled sweetly back. He had had more than an hour with all of his sons asleep and Scott and John wanting to be on their own; he needed something to pass the time.

"Really. I'm not the only one with dropped profit margins." And with that, he let himself back into the room, glad to see that Oscar had done as he was told and got into bed. Sighing, Jeff sat down in one of the seats. It might have taken him a long time to leave Virgil in order to be here, but now he was, he didn't want to leave the child on his own. His mind racing, Jeff glanced towards him.

"I can try and get them to move you closer to my boys if you want?" he said softly, feeling his heart break at the way Oscar's eyes widened in hope. Where had the arrogant brat from the beginning of the week gone? Never had Jeff thought that he would be thinking this, but he would almost do anything to have that Oscar back as it would mean that Virgil hadn't gone through hell and taken Scott with him.

"There is no need for that."

A cool but friendly voice sounded from behind him and Jeff whipped around. Swinger was still in the corridor, but in the doorway, a slender brunette woman was dressed casually, although there were huge bags under her eyes in the same way that Jeff knew that there had been under his. He had never seen her before, but there was something familiar about her… Unable to stop himself, Jeff glanced back at Oscar.

"Trisha Young, otherwise known as…"

"Mom...?" Oscar whispered, finishing the end of her sentence. Jeff stood up, moving away as she stepped forward. There were tears in Oscar's eyes and he let out something of a sob as she wrapped her arms around him.

"I'm here, baby, I'm here. I'm so sorry, so sorry, Oscar. I should have never let you stay with your father, even if you did think that you wanted it. I've been trying to get close to you ever since you came to hospital, but your father, he wouldn't… I'm so sorry, baby."

Jeff felt a smile cross his face even as Oscar let out everything he had clearly been hiding from his father. It was never a good thing to see a child cry, but considering the alternative was Oscar bottling up everything that had happened, it was a welcome sight for now. After all, Jeff would have been worried if Virgil hadn;t cried, or Scott hadn't had a burst of temper. They had to let it out somehow, and as his mother continued to rock him gently, murmuring apologies and soothing words, Jeff knew that he had kept his promise to Virgil. He had seen Oscar, and he had left him with the one person that he hoped the child would have believed would come for him. There was a small pad on the bedside table and Jeff fished a pen out of his pocket. He jotted down his name, cell number and Virgil's room number before leaving it next to the bed, certain that they would see it. Then he turned around and left.

Swinger had moved from the door and Jeff wondered how he was feeling about the fact that he had been caught out. It was then that he noticed another presence – Flinn had been there the whole time. No wonder Swinger hadn't tried to stop his ex-wife or entered himself afterwards. No longer would he be able to use Oscar as a business tool, a way of making people feel sorry for him trying to raise the boy on his own. Jeff thought back to what Oscar had said when he had first introduced himself about the business trips being educational, and just hoped that the boy would be given the chance to just have some fun instead now.

His mind lost in thought, he headed back towards his sons. He wasn't sure if any of them would be awake, but he was satisfied that his mother would be able to explain where he had gone. Virgil in particular surely wouldn't mind that he wasn't there considering Jeff had been making good on his promise to the boy. Swallowing hard, Jeff felt his step falter. What if Virgil didn't understand? What if he thought that Jeff hadn't wanted to be with him?

Hit by a sudden panic, Jeff hurried forward. The rooms were in sight, he knew that he had almost made it and everything would be set right again when he saw a nurse coming out of Scott's room, a look on her face that seemed to be a mixture of worry, anger and exasperation. Somehow, Jeff didn't need to be told. Scott and John might have grown up in his absence, but their father was fully aware they could be just as troublesome now as they had been years ago. Virgil being kept in a separate room would be enough to get them planning – Scott had the determination to move if he wanted it, and John had the mind to be able to come out with some sort of logic as to why they had to move at that precise moment.

If he was honest, Jeff didn't know how to react. Should he be angry that Scott wasn't taking his health more seriously and despite everything, the two of them were still prepared to break all of the rules? Or should he be relieved that both were happy enough with their surroundings that they had the confidence to leave the room unsupervised? Either way, Jeff first had to confirm his suspicions, and picking up his speed once again, he reached the room at the same time as the nurse. She gave him a somewhat startled look as he skidded to a stop next to her, but Jeff only smile tightly in response and pushed the door open.

Sure enough, both Scott and John were in Virgil's room.

"What part of stay there and rest didn't you understand?" the nurse exclaimed angrily, causing Scott to jump and glance over. His expression of indifference morphed into one of guilt when he saw that his father was standing there as well, and the teenager glanced at the floor, a slight blush working over his otherwise too pale cheeks.

"I understood it, I just ignored it."

Jeff had to fight to keep the smile off his face. He had no idea whether he hid it from his sons or not, but his mother certainly caught his amusement and shook her head in exasperation. It was just such a typical Scott thing to do that Jeff was once again reminded of how much he had missed out when it came to his sons. The nurse opened her mouth again, clearly preparing for a tirade, but the father got in there first.

His previous thoughts about not knowing whether to be angry with them or not had been pushed from his head the second that he had opened the door. This wasn't Scott trying to be awkward, or John wanting to see how much he could get away with. It was two frightened children wanting to be with the rest of the family rather than in a room on their own. John was sitting on the chair next to Gordon, but Jeff knew that the clothingstrewn across the redhead belonged to his older brother and John's fingers were running through his hair softly as he tried to ease him up off the bed into a more upright and therefore more comfortable position. Scott, however, was perched actually on the bed, and Jeff had seen the look on his face before the nurse had interrupted whatever thoughts had been plaguing his mind. He had been staring at Virgil with an intensity Jeff had never seen on a face that young, and he knew that there was no way he could split them up again now. The fact that his mother hadn't sent Scott back showed that she too was having the same thoughts.

"No harm done," Jeff said smoothly, brushing past the nurse and moving into the room himself. He crossed over to the bed and rested his hand on Scott's shoulder. "He can stay in here, can't he?"

Despite his voice being calm and his tone neutral, Jeff hadn't so much as asked a question than stated a fact. There was no way he was going to let Scott be moved again, not with that look on his face. Luckily, the woman seemed to understand his tone and sighed, turning away and heading out of the door once again, muttering something about seeing what she could do under her breath. Giving Scott's shoulder a squeeze, Jeff moved away.

John had managed to cause Gordon to stir, yet the younger boy was still refusing to sit up. Jeff pushed two chairs together, then simply picked the child up and laid him across them, making sure that John's sweater stayed over him. He wasn't sure how much warmth it was offering, but considering John had taken the initiative in the first place, Jeff was not going to undermine that. Pulling off his own, he handed it to his second oldest.

"Why don't you sit with your grandmother for a while, Johnny?" Again, it wasn't truly a question, but John took it the right way and moved across the room. The old woman immediately reached forward and helped him into the jumper, laughing lightly as it swamped him. As she fussed about turning up the sleeves, Grandma caught Jeff's eye over John's head and nodded. She had that one, it was time for the father to sort out his oldest son. Jeff nodded once, moved back across the room and sat on the edge of the bed. He made sure not to look at Scott directly, not wanting the boy to feel like this was a confrontation. Instead, he focused on brushing back Virgil's hair, checking that his son seemed to be relaxed and adjusting the covers.

"Want to tell me what that look in your eye was for, Scott?"

"Not really."

Jeff nodded even as he glanced over his shoulder and saw Scott shrug. Yet it didn't escape his attention that the older brother's eyes had returned to Virgil again and he almost looked as if he didn't want to look away. Thinking he knew what the problem was, Jeff knew that this was not one he could he let go. He had to address it now, before Scott got worse.

"So want to tell me why you and John are in here?"

Scott shrugged again and Jeff gave up any pretence, turning to face his son.

"Virgil is right here, Scott, he's not going to go anywhere."

"I couldn't stop him. I tried to make him take me instead, tried to save them, to make sure that he left them alone for you to find. But he just pulled out a gun and dragged Virg out. He was begging me, Dad, begging me to do something to stop him from being taken, and I just sat there."

"Scott, look at me."

His hand resting once again on Scott's shoulder, Jeff waited until Scott had complied with his instructions. It seemed to take the boy a great deal of effort to look away from his sleeping brother.

"You did all you could. There was nothing you could have done, you were tied up and like you said, he had a gun. Virgil knew, son. He knew that you tried, that you weren't going to let anything happen to him if you could help it. But sometimes, things are beyond our control. You can't always be the one to protect them."

"I have to be." Despite Scott meeting Jeff's eyes whilst his father had started to speak, he didn't manage to hold the gaze, instead looking back at Virgil. "I promised Mom that I would look after them all. I failed that promise when he got taken, and then again when Cowlishaw took him away. I was supposed to keep them safe, Dad, I promised."

"Scott…"

"I promised. Don't you get that, Dad? I promised her." There were tears of sheer anguish in Scott's eyes and Jeff sighed. Out of the corner of his vision, he could see that his mother was making a show of fussing over John, clearly trying to distract the blond from the conversation that was going on over at the bed. Sighing heavily, the father moved back from Virgil and wrapped his arm around Scott's shoulders.

"Yes, Scott, I understand." His simple words spoke volumes. Luckily, although Scott was emotional and tired, he seemed to hear the words Jeff couldn't say. His father truly did understand how important it was to him to keep his brothers safe because of that promise. Not only was it one of the last things that he had said to his mother, it was Scott's way of keeping control over himself, of dealing with everything that was going on around him by turning his attention on those younger. Jeff understood the promise – and more than anything, wished it was one that his boy had never had had to make in the first place.

"Sometimes you can't save everyone. Just relax now, Virgil is safe and isn't going anywhere, I promise."

It was a sign of how just worn out Scott currently was, for he accepted his father's words without question. Feeling himself take more of Scott's weight, Jeff smiled and shifted himself into a more comfortable position, preparing himself for what he hoped was about to happen. Scott might have promised to keep his brothers safe, but he was still a teenager in need of protection himself. Jeff could only hope that he was still enough of a father to the boy to give him that.

But in a way, Scott answered his question for him. There was no doubt about whether he felt safe in his father's presence, whether he trusted the man to keep him upright when all else was falling apart as the boy slowly relaxed. In a way that he hadn't done for years, Scott eventually fell asleep on his father.

"I promise that I'll be there for you as well," Jeff whispered almost silently, blinking back tears himself. If Scott could trust him again, the others would follow in his lead. And nothing said trust more than falling asleep on someone, especially considering what he had been through.

Jeff knew that there was still hope for him as a father.


	32. Chapter 32

**Not much more to go now. Thank you so much yet again for all of those gorgeous reviews, it means a lot!**

In a way, Jeff was glad that he didn't get the chance to properly talk to Virgil the following day. Whilst he tried, took every opportunity to get his son on his own, there was always some distraction. Doctors and nurses were constantly flitting in and out, especially now that Scott had officially been moved to the same room as well. With the rest of his boys and his mother present, there had never been the chance. Jeff knew that Virgil had gone through a more emotional ordeal than Scott. It was his mind that was suffering, whereas Scott had to heal physically. Scott's worry had been that he had failed his brother rather than anything that had happened to him as such. Jeff knew that whilst being taken and attacked like that would have left its mark, he also knew what his oldest son was like. Scott wasn't deflecting or hiding how he was feeling by focusing all of his attention on Virgil; it was how he was truly feeling.

Virgil, however, had to deal with the fact that he had been held prisoner for over seven days, locked in a room with nothing to distract his mind from what was happening. Jeff knew that the conversation he had to have with his middle son would be far more intense than the one with Scott. It was for that reason that he wanted to make sure that he got the boy on his own. The last thing that he wanted was Virgil holding back because he didn't want his brothers to overhear him getting upset. By being forced to wait, Jeff found that he was able to read Virgil's body language; he could begin to figure out what was going on in his son's head even if Virgil himself didn't know. The way that it wasn't only Scott who made sure they were close together told Jeff volumes, but also the way that Virgil's eyes always flickered around the room whenever he woke up, almost as if to check that everyone was still there. Nor did it escape the father's notice the way that he would awaken suddenly, sucking in a sharp breath before relaxing again.

Whilst he didn't get the chance to talk to him the next day, Jeff finally seized his chance the day after. Scott had been discharged, all the doctors seeming to know that he wouldn't actually be leaving the hospital until Virgil did and therefore being satisfied that should any complication arise, they would be on hand. Grandma had insisted on taking him down to the hospital restaurant to celebrate. Scott had hesitated, but neither his father nor his grandmother were going to let him stay in the room any longer. The night before, the rest of the boys had been taken across the road to sleep at a small motel, yet Scott had refused to leave Virgil. It was time he got out a bit, or this hospital room was going to be as much his prison as the hidden room had been.

Finally, Scott had given in and Grandma had whisked all the boys other than Virgil downstairs. The ten-year-old had looked wistfully at the door. He was dressed now, not wanting to stay in the bed longer than he had to, instead sitting cross legged on top of the covers. The removal of the drip had changed something in Virgil, as if it had given him a sense of freedom. He could move around as much as he wanted now, and Jeff knew that he couldn't put off the conversation. If he delayed any longer, Virgil would be able to put up barriers, find ways of deflecting.

"Virg?"

"Hmm?" The child looked up from where he had been staring at nothing, and Jeff knew that the ten-year-old knew what was about to come. Virgil glanced at the door, swallowing nervously, almost as if he was going to try and make a run for it. Jeff had to smile slightly – the Tracy men had never been any good at revealing what was going through their heads. His father had been the same and he knew that his sons were taking after him. He made a show of settling himself into a more relaxed position in the chair, trying to put Virgil's mind at ease.

"So… how are you doing, kiddo?"

"Fine," Virgil responded with a shrug, glancing at Jeff quickly but then looking away again. "You know, just… fine."

"And now how about you tell me the truth?"

Virgil blinked, and for a moment, Jeff thought that he was going to continue to deny that anything was wrong. But the boy seemed to realise that his father wasn't going to accept that and he just shrugged.

"I don't know."

"Come on, Virg, you can tell me."

"I just don't know, okay?"

Jeff knew that he was finally getting somewhere as Virgil suddenly yelled at him, tears brimming in his eyes as he glared at his father before stubbornly looking in the opposite direction.

"Everyone keeps asking me that, they keep thinking I can sum it all up in one word. I don't even know what is going through my head. I don't know if I'm supposed to be feeling like this part is still the dream, that I'll wake up and be back there with Oscar moaning that he is bored. I don't know if I'm supposed to be thinking that_ he_ is going to walk through that door any moment now, that mask…" Virgil's voice hitched dramatically, but his father didn't say anything. Instead, he just leant forward, a frown on his face as his eyes burnt with a mixture of concern and reassurance. He knew that Virgil needed to be able to let this out, it just didn't necessarily mean that it was easy for either of them.

"I just don't know," the boy finished up feebly, swallowing hard and clearly trying to hold back the tears.

"Virg? Virgil, look at me?" Realising that he was using the exact same wording that he had done on Scott, Jeff sighed. His boys were so similar when it suited them. He just hoped that it would mean that he would be able to get through to Virgil as easily as he had done with the older brother. It took even longer to get Virgil to look up than it had Scott, and Jeff felt his heart clench when he saw the look in Virgil's eyes. He shouldn't have put this conversation off as long as he had done.

"It's not going to help if I tell you that you are safe, is it?"

Virgil offered him a watery smile, but shook his head. "Doubt it, as that is what everyone has been telling me since I woke up."

Jeff nodded slowly, an idea coming into his head.

"I think I know someone who might be able to help," he murmured, standing up. "Son, do you mind if I stand outside long enough to make a call? I swear I'm not going anywhere, and will only be a few moments." Jeff could see the visible effort it took Virgil to not freak out there and then. But the boy nodded, and Jeff smiled, reaching over and ruffling his head.

"I promise I'll be quick."

Jeff was true to his word. He went no further than he had to in order to make the call, gabbling out his message so fast that he was surprised the person on the other end had even understood a word of what had just been said. But Jeff stayed on the line long enough to get a confirmation that the man would come before hanging up and heading straight back to Virgil. His son had stayed exactly where he was, but his hands had tensed and Jeff could see the way that he visibly relaxed once his father was back in the room.

"Who did you call?" he asked quietly, automatically leaning against his dad as Jeff sat on the bed next to him. Jeff shifted so that he could drape his arm over Virgil's shoulders and give him a soft squeeze.

"Someone who can guarantee that you are safe and Cowlishaw can never come after you again."

As much as Virgil pressed, his father wouldn't give him a clear answer. It wasn't that Jeff didn't want to tell his son, but he was worried about what would happen if he did. If Virgil knew who was coming, he would have time to prepare himself and therefore have time to create arguments in his mind as to why he wouldn't believe what was being said. If it came as a surprise, then Virgil might be able to accept what he was being told without questioning it.

It took almost half an hour for the person to arrive, and in a way, Jeff was grateful. Virgil got himself so carried away with trying to make his father tell him what was going on that he had forgotten that he was supposed to be angry and upset, his guesses becoming more and more ludicrous and resulting in them both laughing by the time there came a soft knock on the door. Virgil immediately tensed, but Jeff made sure that his posture stayed relaxed as he smiled reassuringly at his son.

"Come in."

Virgil looked nothing short of confused when a man he didn't know walked in, but Jeff could see by the look in his eye that he had a vague recognition of the man.

"Flinn, meet Virgil."

The officer moved forward, winking at the boy before lowering himself into another chair.

"Heard lots about you, kid," he said casually, and Virgil relaxed against Jeff a little more. The father could still sense the way that he seemed to be on edge, slightly on guard at having someone he didn't know in the room, but to make this work, Jeff needed him to relax.

"He's been in charge of finding you," Jeff said softly, and Virgil nodded, his eyes never leaving Flinn.

"Sorry it took me so long." Flinn seemed to realise that Virgil was not going to say anything as of yet and so instead turned to the father.

"Nick's out of intensive care, he'll be just fine."

"That's good to hear. He didn't look like he knew what he was doing down there anyway."

"He didn't. Only just passed his fire-arms test, poor lad."

Jeff nodded sympathetically, glancing at Virgil out of the corner of his eye. Not having the attention fixed on him meant that the child was beginning to relax slightly, so Jeff made the point of keeping up the conversation with Flinn, saying the first thing that came into his head rather than anything of interest. Flinn knew what he was doing, though, and so it wasn't just a one-sided conversation as Virgil worked up the courage to say something.

"Dad said that he wouldn't be after me again."

The words were so quietly muttered that the men nearly missed them from where they had been trying to make conversation without it revolving around the kidnapping. Jeff had just opened his mouth to say something, but immediately snapped it shut again, looking steadily at Flinn. He had managed to explain through the phone call what it was that he wanted from the man, and the officer caught his gaze and gave a slight dip of his head.

"That's right, Virgil. He's never breathing free air again if I have anything to do with it."

"And if you don't?"

Jeff had to smile. He should have known that it nothing would slip past Virgil considering how worried he was, but Flinn also grinned.

"No one will let him out, Virgil. He was caught red-handed, we have advanced software that will be able to match his voice to the one in the films even with that mask muffling things. We have a witness who has already testified that he was involved, not to mention the whole shoot-out that happened. No one shoots a policeman and gets away with it. No judge will ever let him out; he's going down for good."

Virgil nodded slowly, but Jeff twisted his position so that he could look his son in the eye.

"He means it, Virg. He is never getting out again."

"I know… I mean, I guess I know. It's just… it's like my mind just doesn't want to accept it, you know?"

Jeff sighed. He had thought that Virgil would be able to simply take Flinn at his word and that would be enough. It appeared that his son's mind was more troubled than the father had wanted to allow himself to believe. Flinn, however, nodded in understanding.

"Come with me."

"Flinn, he can't, I don't think…"

"Jeff, shut up. Virgil, do you want to feel like this is over?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Then get out of that bed and come with me."

Jeff knew that tone too well now, he knew that it meant that Flinn had an idea and he was not going to be stopped until he had achieved it. Even so, it wasn't that straightforward and it took them a good twenty minutes to clear it with the hospital before Virgil took his first step outside of the room since he had arrived.

Jeff didn't miss the way that his son stayed practically pressed into his side the whole way downstairs, nor the fact that he was actually forced to support Virgil more than once to stop his legs giving way. Yet despite the firmness in Flinn's tone that indicated he was going to get his way, he kept his pace slow and never said anything when they were forced to wait for Virgil's legs to stop shaking.

Jeff honestly had no idea what was being planned as Flinn led the way out to the back of the hospital. They got Virgil settled on a bench, then the officer walked off. He didn't go far, but instead headed over to a nearby man who was having a smoke.

"Give me your lighter."

"Get lost."

Even from the distance they were at, Jeff heard Flinn sigh. The man reached into his pocket and pulled out his badge.

"Police. Give it to me."

"Whatever." The man practically threw the lighter at Flinn and the officer came back over. To Jeff's astonishment and touch of concern, he handed it to Virgil before reaching back into his pocket. It was clear that his hand had closed around something, yet he didn't draw it out.

"I want you to think about every single time he made you feel helpless. Everything he made you say to your father, everything he forced you to watch as he hurt your brother."

"Flinn…" Jeff's disapproval was ignored as Flinn locked eyes with Virgil.

"Are you thinking it?"

Virgil didn't answer, but gave a jerky nod of his head.

"Good. Now burn it."

Flinn's hand finally came out of his pocket and both Virgil and Jeff gasped when they realised that he had the mask. Virgil's face morphed into one of fear, then anger as he took the lighter in both hands. Flinn kept hold of the mask as Virgil glared at it, his fingers slipping as he tried to get the device to light. It took a while, the child was shaking badly and only had the use of one hand as it was.

But finally, flames flickered into life, immediately catching the material. Flinn instantly dropped it in the bin, but Virgil's eyes didn't stray from the burning mask. Jeff let his hand rest on Virgil's shoulder, feeling his son trembling under his grasp. Tears were flooding down Virgil's cheeks, yet he didn't look away, he didn't even blink.

"Could you do that?"

"It was a replica, we needed the other one for evidence. He doesn't need to know that though." Flinn's voice was a whisper and Jeff nodded in understanding. The two men watched closely as Virgil watched the mask burn, his tears finally slowing down, then stopping. Finally, he leant back on Jeff in exhaustion.

"Can we go home, Dad?" he whispered, and although he sounded terrible, Jeff could hear that there was a difference in Virgil's voice. He sounded calmer, more in control of himself than he had before. Without asking, Jeff knew that now, Virgil would be able to sum up in one word what was going through his head.

It might not be anything positive, but it was a step in the right direction. If he could start voicing things, they could start moving on.

TBTBTB

It took another two days until both boys were given the all-clear and the police had obtained all the information they needed to be able to continue with the prosecution. It seemed like forever, but finally, Jeff was allowed to take his boys home. Grandma had hold of both Alan and Gordon, John with two bags swung over his shoulders as they emerged out in the late afternoon sun. Jeff's arm was wrapped around Virgil, knowing the boy was still far weaker than he was happy about, and Scott was next to them. He, too, was finding moving far harder than he wanted to admit to, but he definitely had more colour back in his face.

Both of them did in fact. Flinn's actions seemed to have opened something of a dam in Virgil and he had gone from not talking at all to not being able to say enough. After a quick chat with the doctor, things had moved quickly and Jeff already had appointments for both Virgil and Scott set up with a local therapist back in Kansas. Not that he had told them that though, for he knew full well the response he would get, and he wasn't in the mood for arguments. He didn't think that they were going to take the news that they had to talk to someone about what had happened too well, especially not Scott. The oldest brother had a way of holding things inside as he attempted to deal with them, but this time, Jeff was not going to let that happen. Despite wanting to be the best father he could to them, Jeff was not prepared to cut corners to try and stay on their good side. He would rather a fight or two if it meant that they opened up and talked about what was going through their heads.

It was Virgil who spotted the Swingers first. Oscar, too, had been discharged, and from what Jeff had heard, an almighty battle over rights was taking place as his mother tried to take custody of her son once again. It helped that Flinn was firmly on Trisha's side, having enough influenceto be able to make sure that it was the mother, not the father, who was taking Oscar home from the hospital. Virgil had only seen Oscar once since their escape when the other boy had shuffled his way into the hospital room.

The adults had left them to it, but had all found it rather amusing when the boys had gone back to snapping at each other. They were never a pair destined to be friends, and whilst their ordeal had caused them to tolerate each other, it was never going to be more than that when everything was right with the world again. But even so, Virgil had looked happier after it had taken place and Jeff knew that it had helped draw a line under everything.

But right now, Virgil had stopped, staring over at them. It looked like an argument was taking place between Swinger and Trisha, and Jeff found that his eyes were seeking out his mother's. She, too, had a frown on her face as she noted what was going on, especially the way that Oscar seemed to be hiding behind Trisha in order to avoid having to be faced with his father.

"Right…" To Jeff's surprise, she let go of Alan's hand, pressing it into Scott's and gave Gordon a look that clearly told him to stay there. Then she proceeded to march across the entrance, her back straight and her head held high.

"Can we get closer?" Scott muttered quietly, and whilst Jeff was sure that he was supposed to say something disapproving, he just found himself nodding, steering Virgil in that direction. They didn't go all the way, just close enough to hear what was being said as Grandma approached the arguing couple. She didn't even hesitate, but pushed her way between them, picking up Swinger's bag and pushing it into his chest.

"You need to leave, right now, before I have security called. You've caused quite enough trauma to your boy as it is."

"You don't tell me what to do, lady," Swinger spat, realising that his estranged wife had taken that moment to move a step backwards, taking Oscar's hand in her own.

"I'll tell you what to do if I want to, boy."

"I'm not…"

"Oh you most certainly are, lad, and the more you argue, the younger you seem. Look at your son there, coping with everything that the world has thrown at him, all nice and quiet like, whilst you stamp your feet and have a sulk."

"You can't talk to me like that!"

John was openly laughing at the colour Swinger had gone and Jeff found that he had a broad smile on his face as well. Despite Swinger trying to win back the argument, he had gone slightly pale and taken a small step back himself, somehow realising that this was not going to be a fight that he was going to win.

"I'll talk to you however I want, my lad. Now, off you go." Grandma made a small shooing motion with her hand and Scott joined John in laughing. Swinger opened his mouth a few times, clearly trying to say something else.

"This isn't the end of this, Patrica," he snarled, turning on his heel and beginning to walk off. Grandma, however, was not going to let it go like that and her small hand stopped him.

"Yes. It is. You leave that boy be, you hear?"

This time, Swinger just gaped at her, turned and walked off without another word. Jeff attempted to regain control of his sons as his mother checked on Trisha and Oscar before coming back over to join them.

"Grandma, that was brilliant."

"Thank you, John, dear. Now, who is hungry? I believe that we have a long journey ahead of us."

It never ceased to surprise Jeff how much his boys could eat when they wanted to. Yet it also didn't escape his attention that Virgil almost seemed to be picking. The doctors had warned him that this might happen, his body having got used to the lack of food so it no longer thought that it required as much. Making a mental note to make sure that there were plenty of snacks in the car for whenever he did feel like eating, Jeff found that he was watching the rest of the boys just as closely.

But despite their father's observations, it didn't take them long to finish off. There had been a big debate about whether to hang around for another night or not, but Virgil had pleaded so quietly to just go home that no one had wanted to disagree with him. It was a tight squeeze now that Grandma was there as well, all the boys having to go in the back of the large car. But they seemed to almost be reassured by the fact that they were so close together, and their father had a feeling that it was going to be a long time before anyone moaned about needing their own space.

It was already dark by the time they hit the road, and the younger three were asleep before they had gone more than half an hour. John followed shortly afterwards and every time Jeff glanced in his mirror, Scott seemed to be just gazing out of the window, his mind clearly far away. Eventually, he too fell asleep, and a silence fell over the car as Grandma, too, dozed off.

For the first time in a very long time, Jeff was grateful for all the nights he had stayed up working. It meant that he could easily miss a night here or there and not really feel it, enabling him to keep driving without feeling any of his own tiredness. He was just glad that the boys were able to get some rest, for he knew that things were going to be awkward when they reached Kansas. They hadn't been away for long, yet so much had happened in that time, it was naïve of him to think that their family dynamics hadn't been altered. In a way, he was praying that they had been, for it would mean that he could once again be part of their lives. But with everything that had happened, it was going to take some time before things returned to normal. They would need all the rest they could.

Dawn had just broken by the time they entered the correct state and Virgil was stirring. Jeff smiled at him in the mirror, but didn't say anything, wanting to give the boy the chance to come around properly and realise where they were. As Virgil stretched, he accidentally knocked John, who in turn kicked Scott. It only took a matter of seconds before the whole car was awake again, sleep-filled voices shouting their confusion over who had woken up whom.

But as Jeff turned off a road, silence fell as if someone had simply hit a mute button. No one uttered a word as he pulled into the driveway, but he heard someone give a soft sigh of relief.

They were home.

All of them.


	33. Chapter 33

**Well, here it is, guys. The final chapter. I cannot thank you enough for the support you have given me throughout this, I wouldn't have been able to get through it without you.**

**I also wouldn't have been able to get through it without you, Bee. Thank you so much once again for everything that you have done, despite the hell that we've had with some parts of this story. One day, I'll do something simple...one day... don't hold me to that...**

**Anyway, hope everyone likes this last chapter. See you soon!**

Breakfast was a tense and quiet affair. The days of the boys fighting over whatever they could get their hands on seemed to be gone, and Jeff found that his eyes were drawn to his middle son more and more throughout the meal. Virgil had never been a morning person, but now he was refusing to make eye contact with anyone. It also hadn't escaped Jeff's notice that he had gone from his usual position next to Scott right down to the other end of the table, wedging himself in between Alan and Gordon. But Jeff also didn't miss the hurt in Scott's eyes when he noticed and realised that whatever was going on between the two of them, this was not the first thing to have happened.

Catching his mother's eye, Jeff could tell in one glance that she had seen the same. She offered him a small smile – the type of look that meant she had no clearer idea about what was going on than he did. Clearing his throat, the father attempted to at least have something talked about over breakfast.

"So… Nick's out of hospital. I heard from Flinn this morning; he is at home and doing well."

"Good." John was the only one who said anything, and even his voice was softer than usual. For a moment, Jeff thought that something was troubling him as well, but then realised where his son was looking. John's head might have been staying still, but his eyes were bouncing between his older and younger brothers, a small frown on the bridge of his nose. Jeff knew in that one look that John had noticed what was happening and he, too, was trying to figure it out. The blond obviously felt his father's gaze, for he suddenly glanced up, looking directly at Jeff and grimacing slightly. That said it all – he knew that something was wrong, he just didn't know what.

"It will be over by the end of the week – Cowlishaw has pleaded guilty and apparently a decision has already been made. Don't ask me to explain it, Flinn has somehow pushed everything though. It should be over quickly though, the evidence is overwhelming." This time, he got a little bit more of a reaction as Virgil's spoon fell from his hand and clattered noisily in the bowl. He didn't look up as he slowly picked it back up though, almost seeming to be aware that the older members of the family were looking at him in concern.

"Virg…"

"I'm fine." This time, Virgil simply snapped, his eyes remaining stubbornly down so that he didn't see the look flicker across Scott's face. Jeff sighed, knowing that whatever was happening, Virgil was the one orchestrating it. Scott didn't seem to have any more of a clue as to what was going on than the rest of them did and he was on the receiving end of it.

"Okay, boys, off you go. Gordon, you need to get your kit ready, dear, your father is taking you today."

Gordon was out of the room even before Grandma had finished speaking. The only thing that could get the child moving like that was the knowledge that he was going to be able to go swimming soon, and Jeff couldn't help but chuckle. Alan slithered down from his seat, took his father's hand and gazed up at him with wide eyes.

"Me come too?"

"You already are, Sprout. Go on, go and find your shoes, there's a good boy."

Alan ran off after Gordon as Grandma started clearing the table. Virgil practically ran off as well, even before Jeff could ask him whether he wanted to come too, and the father sighed. He couldn't help but wonder whether Virgil knew that the offer was about to be made and that was why he had made his escape. The ten-year-old hadn't left the house since they had got back, apart from going to see the therapist. And Jeff had to practically drag him out of the car on those occasions as it was.

Scott pushed his chair back, staring out to where his brother had disappeared before slowly heading in the same direction. Seeing John watching them, Jeff called his second-eldest over to him.

"I don't suppose you know what is going on with those two, do you?"

John shook his head, his teeth worrying his lower lip as he continued to look through the door. Virgil had long since vanished, but Scott could still be seen, his posture looking defeated and a little bit lost.

"Not yet. But I'm going to. Hey, Dad, can I come into town with you? I need to go to the library. The science club are doing this project where…

"Yes, Johnny, you can come." Cutting his son off before he got too carried away, Jeff chuckled, reaching out and ruffling his son's hair. Once the blond got talking about his science club, he could go on for hours. "I'm going to make sure the Terrible Two know we are leaving a little earlier."

John nodded distractedly, still looking out after Scott. As Jeff moved away, the boy set off after his brother. For years John had been the peacemaker between Scott and Virgil, but he couldn't help but wonder whether this one would be ever so slightly out of his league. Catching up with his oldest brother, he rested his hand on Scott's shoulder. The older teenager's mind was clearly lost in troubled thoughts, for he jumped violently at John's touch, not having heard him approach.

"You okay, kiddo?"

John nodded, for once letting the nickname slide without protest.

"Are you? What's going on?"

"No idea," Scott murmured, glancing around. Again, John knew that he was looking for his little brother, not only wondering where Virgil was, but what was going on with him. "He just won't talk to me."

"Maybe you should talk to him first, he has been through a lot."

Scott turned, offering John a wry smile at his brother's words.

"I would if I could find him."

Admitting that Scott did have a point there, John also glanced around.

"Apart from Virg, how you doing, Scott?"

As Scott opened his mouth to respond, John continued. "I heard you again last night." He didn't want Scott to try and pull his big brother act and pretend everything was fine when John had heard how restless Scott had been until their grandmother had entered his room and calmed him. Knowing that he had been caught out, Scott simply shrugged.

"I'm getting there."

John could ask for no more than that. Scott was never going to admit to him how he was really feeling if it was something negative, yet John was just grateful that his brother didn't just try to lie.

"John, we're leaving in ten minutes!"

Yelling back a confirmation that he had heard and understood, John turned back to Scott.

"Find him and talk to him, Scott. He's just as lost as you are."

"Since when did you get to be the smart one?" Scott muttered, a small smile on his face that showed that he was trying not to let Virgil's behaviour get to him too much. John grinned back, grateful that his brother was at least trying.

"Someone in this family has to be." Turning on his heel, John began moving away, knowing that his father wouldn't wait for him if he took too long. He reached the lounge door and glanced back, realising that Scott hadn't moved. Somehow, he had a feeling his sibling's big brother instincts weren't working quite as well as they normally did and he rolled his eyes slightly.

"Scott?"

"Mm?"

"Try the old apple tree. The one that you had to drag him down from the day we left. He has always tried to hide from you there."

"Thanks, John."

John nodded and took a step back into the lounge, before shaking his head, and taking a step out again.

"Oh, and Scott?"

"What?"

"Tell him I told you that and you are doing your math homework on your own."

"Gotcha."

John grinned, heading out of the lounge properly this time before bounding up the stairs to get ready to go out. Entering his room, he pulled his shoes out from where they were half under the bed, but was unable to resist glancing out of the window as he did so. Sure enough, he had a clear view of Virgil sitting up the tree, lost in thought. But coming from the other side, Scott was rapidly approaching. John couldn't help but watch as Scott didn't engage Virgil in conversation, but just lurked the other side of the tree, waiting for his brother to come down.

"You get him, Scotty." John whispered, heading back out again and taking the stairs two at a time to where his father and other brothers were waiting for him. Somehow, he had a feeling that by the time that they got back from town, Scott and Virgil would be back together the way they normally were. And John knew that once that happened, the true healing could begin. After all, he knew better than most that what affected Scott also affected Virgil and vice versa. They were each quiet because the other was; it was as if they were feeding off each other's negative energy. Satisfied that would all change once they actually started talking, John headed out of the door in high spirits, even if Gordon did then yell that he had forgotten his goggles.

TBTBTB

Virgil was sitting in the branches of the large tree that he had tried to hide in before they had gone on the vacation in the first place. He wouldn't admit to hiding, but he was hoping that Scott wouldn't find him. It was a bright sunny day, nearly a week after they had got home. He was glad that it was the summer break from school for there was no way that he was ready to face anything like that. The nightmares were just as bad as ever, and talking to the therapist seemed to be making them worse, not better, as he had to drag to the surface everything he had been pushing aside. That argument didn't work on his father though, and Virgil's hopes that it would mean Jeff would instantly cancel any more appointments had been blown as the man had just looked at him long and steadily and told him that it would help in the long run.

There had been something of a surprising change in their lives now that they had their father around. All of the boys knew that once they had to go back to school, Jeff would return to work, but for now, he simply settled for shutting himself in the office for a couple of hours a day and that was it. The rest of the time he devoted to readjusting them all to having a father around. Part of Virgil hoped that it would mean that he would just be able to do whatever he wanted as Jeff tried to make them happy. Getting up each day was not something that had ever been easy for him – even at ten, Virgil could quite happily sleep the morning away. But now, it just felt safer staying in bed, he knew that nothing could happen that way.

Yet each day, his grandmother or his father pulled him from it. It was getting better, though. Virgil had got himself up this morning. The woman that both he and Scott were seeing – Natalie – had told him that it could be months before he felt completely secure. Initially, that had completely freaked Virgil out, but then he realised that it meant that the rest of the family weren't seeing him as weak or attention-seeking when he just wanted to bury himself away under the covers. There was always a sympathetic look in their eyes when they pulled the blanket off his head each morning.

Hearing the car engine start up, a yell as Gordon realised he had forgotten something and John's exasperated shout for his brother to hurry up was the only sign Virgil had of the time. His father was taking them into town – dropping John off at the library, taking Gordon to his swimming practice and taking Alan along for the ride to get the five-year-old out from under their grandmother's feet. Virgil just hoped that because it was something of a family outing, Scott would choose to go as well.

If he was honest, Virgil had no idea why he was hiding from his brother. Yet Scott just seemed to be everywhere these days, almost as if Virgil would disappear if he so much as blinked. To start with, it was nice - Virgil, too, wanted to make sure that his brother was okay. But as Scott's injuries had healed, Virgil found the intense gaze that he was being subjected to was a little disturbing. Not to mention that with Scott being always around, it meant that Virgil couldn't escape the thoughts that had been plaguing his mind.

Every night when he dreamt, he saw the wild panic in Scott's eyes when Cowlishaw had taken him out of the room at gunpoint. He saw the desperation and fierce desire to protect his younger brother in the teenager's expression as the journalist had beaten him almost senseless. He saw the way that he had just collapsed onto Scott, crying, despite the fact that his brother had been chained up and gagged for the most part, completely unable to do anything. Yet Scott had remained strong, he had tried to always help him, and Virgil just felt like he had made the situation so much worse. If he had been that strong, it wouldn't have been as bad for Scott. If he had held himself together and continued to refuse to give into Cowlishaw's terror games, then Scott wouldn't have felt the need to protect him, he wouldn't have got so badly hurt. If Virgil had been better, Scott wouldn't have been taken in the first place.

Hoping that his brother had gone into town, Virgil dropped from the tree with the intention of going to get a drink.

"There you are. I've been looking for you all morning."

Hard-pushed to not roll his eyes, Virgil tried to make sure that his face was neutral as his big brother rounded the tree from the other side. Considering how quickly Scott had appeared, Virgil had a feeling his brother had known where he was for a while, he just hadn't wanted to crowd him.

"I'm just about to go and finish that painting…"

"Virgil…"

"It's for school, you see, so I have to get it done." Virgil had no idea what he was doing, or why he thought he would be able to get away with it. Scott could always see straight through him, yet he didn't want to hear his brother try and talk about what had happened. For if he did that, Virgil would once again be reminded of how he had made it so much worse.

"Virg, school doesn't start for another three weeks. Stop avoiding me."

"I'm not."

"No? So is that why you've practically bolted every time I've tried to talk to you?" There was a touch of hurt in Scott's voice and Virgil sighed. It seemed that he would no longer be able to run. Virgil had wanted to be there for Scott the way his brother had been trying to be there for him. Yet it was because of him that Scott had been hurt, he had only managed to make everything worse. He might have wanted to talk to Scott, but that didn't necessarily mean Scott had wanted to talk to him. There was no way Virgil was going to force his brother, only now it seemed that he had been caught out. He sighed, turning to face Scott properly.

"I know you are only talking to me because Natalie told you to."

"What makes you think that?"

"Because she told me the same thing," Virgil muttered, moving back to the tree. He leant against the trunk, one leg bent at a right angle as he let it support his weight, watching Scott. To his surprise, his brother grinned.

"Which you are clearly planning to do by the fact that you've been running away from me for the last two days. Virg, if you don't do as she says, why do you think I would? Maybe I just want to know why you've been avoiding me?"

"Because I have to," Virgil muttered, glancing away and staring out across the fields behind their house. There was so much space there, so many different directions he could run in if he wanted to. Yet Virgil still couldn't bring himself to be beyond the view of their house unless his father was with him. He just hoped that he would be able to face it by the time it came to going back to school.

"Virgil… what?" There was such confusion in Scott's voice that Virgil stared at him.

"You know what."

"If I knew what, I wouldn't be asking, I would be sorting it out."

"Maybe you shouldn't have to sort everything out!" Virgil exclaimed, pushing himself away from the tree and running a hand through his hair as a way of trying to disguise the fact that there were tears in his eyes. Why didn't Scott get it, why wasn't he blaming Virgil for everything that had happened?

"What is this about?" Scott caught Virgil around the wrist as his brother turned to walk away, and for a split-second, Virgil froze, feeling like it was something else entirely restraining him. Luckily, Scott heard his sharp intake of breath and hastily let go again. "Virg, what is this about? Why don't you think I should be helping? Why don't you want me to?"

"You have to think about yourself for once, you've been through something just as bad."

"Not nearly as bad, he only had me for a day. That isn't what you are talking about, not really. It's something to do with what happened, you've got that look in your eye. But I can't figure out what. C'mon, Virg, help me out here, what's going on with you?"

Virgil sighed. Scott might have let go of his wrist, but the boy still took another step away. When he took another, however, Scott inched forward himself. Virgil knew what that small movement meant, though. It meant that Scott was not letting this go, that he was not going to let Virgil out of his sight until he had figured out what was going on with his younger brother. It was that determination which Virgil both loved and hated.

"Dad told me how you got caught. That you and John had been following up on every lead that you either thought of yourself or overheard the police talk about."

"So?"

"So you shouldn't have put yourself in danger for me."

"Why the hell not? You know that I would do it for any of you." Scott looked so confused that Virgil knew that his point was not getting across somehow. Why did Scott not see it? Why didn't he understand why out of all of them, he had to be the one to stay safe?!

"Because the others need you, Scott. The police would have found me eventually; you didn't need to get hurt. I can't stand the thought that you got hurt because of me."

"Virgil, stop."

Virgil hadn't even realised that he was turning away again until Scott's hands rested on his shoulders, spinning him back around and holding him fast. He bent down slightly until he was looking Virgil in the eye, his expression sincere.

"You didn't think that. You didn't think that they were going to find you, don't lie to me."

"No, maybe not," Virgil admitted, his voice shaking. "But you still shouldn't have done it. You shouldn't have put yourself in danger for me. I can't stand you hating me for it."

"You think that? You really think that I would blame you for what happened? I knew what could happen to me when I heard Cowlishaw enter the room. I acted in that moment not only for you, but for John as well, Virgil. I had to protect him, and I thought that if I could get to you, I could protect you as well. I thought he was going to kill me when I realised that he had figured out that I was telling the truth about John. It wasn't just about you, it was about all of you. You know the only thought that crossed my mind when he was hitting me?"

Virgil shook his head, staring at Scott.

"I thought that I wouldn't be able to protect you. I promised Mom that I would look after you and not let anything happen to you. I had to come after you, I had to risk everything to get to you, because I promised her that I would. So don't you dare blame yourself. I knew what I was doing. I would do it all over again, because Mom made me promise to look after you."

Virgil had never heard Scott sound that emotional before. He had told himself time and time again that no matter what Scott said, he would still end up blaming himself even if his brother didn't. But somehow, because Scott had brought their mother into it, Virgil felt his determination slipping away from him. He understood. He knew what Scott was getting at, why he felt like he had to do it. He had been trying to protect Virgil, but it was more than that. He had been trying to keep a promise to their mother. Virgil didn't realise that he was basically just standing there gaping at his brother until Scott suddenly laughed, reaching over and cuffing him over the head.

"I can't believe you thought that I would blame you and that is why you have been hiding from me for the last two days, you moron. What kind of brother do you take me for?"

"The best sort," Virgil whispered, surprising them both by suddenly wrapping his arms around Scott's middle and giving his brother a hug. It lasted no longer than a few seconds, but it spoke more than any words they could ever speak. It told Scott that Virgil knew what his brother was getting at, and that he understood why he did it. But Scott's returning squeeze told Virgil that the older boy would do it a thousand times over if it meant protecting them in order to stay true to his promise to their mother.

"Why were you up the tree?" Scott muttered, letting go again and giving Virgil a soft shove away from him as a way of relieving the tension between them.

"Hiding from you," Virgil muttered, feeling himself blush ever so slightly.

Scott snorted in amusement.

"You really have to stop lying to me, kiddo. You have been spending the last few days hiding from me, admit it."

"Fine, I'll admit it. I've been hiding from you. But John is hiding from Grandma and Gordon is hiding from John, so why is it just me that you seem to have a problem with?" Virgil pouted up at his brother, his eyes glinting slightly in a way that they hadn't done for a long time. Both boys knew the answer to Virgil's question, but by him asking, it provided a sense of normality.

Scott chuckled and reached over, ruffling Virgil's hair. A sense of normality had indeed returned to their lives, and Virgil knew that things were going to feel even better now that he had finally come clean about what had been plaguing his mind lately.

"Hey, Scott, did you have to do the card exercise with Natalie? The one where you have to say what each reminds you of because she is really trying to find some dark part of your mind?"

"Yep. Thought she was going to hit me at the end, I just said the same thing for each one."

"What did you say?"

"Butterfly. What about you?"

"Moth. For every single one."

If Grandma had looked out of the kitchen window at that particular moment, she would have seen a sight that had not been present for a very long time. Not just since the kidnapping, but way before that, as Scott and Virgil walked slowly back towards the house, both laughing and clearly comfortable in each other's presence. Scott threw his arm casually over his little brother's shoulders as he steered them towards the house, and Virgil was more than happy to let him.

If the oldest brother was slightly concerned about the fact that Virgil's artistic mind had not been able to come up with anything more imaginative than a moth, he hid it well. He knew that it would take time for Virgil to truly be able to heal from what had just happened. When Virgil was able to see more in the pictures, then that would be when Scott too felt like they were moving on. But until that day, he would just make sure that he was there for his little brother. More than that, he was going to make sure the entire family were there.

Considering the way that Jeff was already walking out of the house on his way to meet his sons - time had clearly gone quicker than Scott had realised if they were done in town already - the oldest brother grinned. It seemed that wish was already beginning to come true.

It looked like he had a family again.

**And that is that. The End.**


End file.
